Santals achieve a milestone

Primary school teacher Chadni Santal is breaking new ground. Three months ago when she started her job at Golak Pratima Muk Government Primary School, six kilometres from Panchhari upazila headquarters in Khagrachhari, she became the first Santal from the Chittagong Hill Tracts to secure a government position. The whole of her community is overjoyed.

Historically, Santals were brought to the hills by the British for the purpose of maintaining the region's unsealed roads; a task that understandably declined in importance over the decades, as the road network steadily improved. In more recent times the community has struggled with unemployment and underemployment. Ad hoc day labour and seasonal farm work have long been their main income-earning opportunities.

There are currently 143 Santal families living across three of Khagrachhari's upazilas. It's a close community that over time has formed an identity of some distinction from that of their several million brethren Santals living in other parts of Bangladesh and beyond. To emphasise their unique heritage, for example, Santals in the hills tend to use Santal as their second name in place of family names.

In such circumstances Chadni's achievement is more than a little exciting.

“To get a government primary school job was unimaginable for me,” says Chadni, who scored well in both her Secondary and Higher School Certificates. “I'm so happy!”

“It's a very competitive process and candidates often have to lobby extensively,” she explains, “I won the position without lobbying. I'm really grateful to the chairman and councillors of the Khagrachhari Hill District Council, and to the present government for my appointment.”

Chadni, who had previously applied unsuccessfully for around ten other public and private sector positions, received the news of her success while completing her honours course at Khagrachhari Government College.

The new job is a milestone achievement not only for her community but for Chadni personally, along what hasn't been an easy journey. The only daughter of a single-parent family was primarily raised in her grandparents' home. Her father abandoned the family when she was just two years old. In 2003, when she was admitted to class three at the Khagrachhari Government Childcare Centre in the district town, she was the only Santal student.  

“My immediate goal is to complete my honours course,” she says. “My dream is to work for Santal children to help them too succeed at education.”

“There isn't a single family within our local Santal community who has good financial circumstances,” says Manik Santal, the president of the Santal Students' Forum. “That is why the whole community supports education. A member of our collective family has now been appointed as a teacher. We're just thrilled!”