Zannatul Sarkar: Newspaper hawker, UP member, an inspiration
When I was selling newspapers, many people passed snide remarks at me for being a woman. But I never judged any type of work. Besides, their criticisms never paid for my food or shelter, so I never bothered to pay heed to them. I had to survive with dignity.
Hailing from Pabna's Chatmohar upazila, Zannatul Sarkar Champa had to lead a hard life at a very early age. She was born in an impoverished family, at Mollikbain village in Parshodanga union.
In the middle of their childhood, Champa and her brothers were abandoned by their father, when he got married a second time. Champa was only in school back then. After a few years, her brothers went their separate ways, seeking jobs as day labourers, while Champa started working at a textile mill.
In 2005, she got married when she was an SSC examinee. But Champa's new journeys always seemed to end on a bad note. She got divorced within a year, owing to her husband being a drug abuser.
Once again, Champa was left stranded. This time on the streets.
But even such an obstacle couldn't break her. She landed a temporary job at an insurance company after completing her HSC exam. Fate, however, was cruel as usual. She couldn't continue her job for being transferred to another district in 2008.
A resilient Champa started selling newspaper in Chatmohar Bazar to survive, while facing widespread criticism.
"When I was selling newspapers, many people passed snide remarks at me for being a woman. But I never judged any type of work. Besides, their criticisms never paid for my food or shelter, so I never bothered to pay heed to them. I had to survive with dignity," said Champa, now in her mid-thirties.
"At the beginning, I had no fixed customers and could barely sell five to seven newspapers a day. But I never took it to heart and continued doing my job with diligence," she said.
"I started delivering newspapers on a bicycle. Within a few months, I got some customers. Now, I have a total of 275 fixed customers around the upazila."
"Now I'm earning Tk 500-550 a day selling newspapers, travelling 20-25 kilometres," Champa said, adding that those who had criticised her are now praising her.
Experiencing struggles in her own life, Champa always aimed to work for those who are neglected in society. With that goal, she chose to run in the union parishad elections.
On November, 2021, she was elected as a female member in the reserved seat of ward 3,4,5 of Parshodanga union.
"When I was struggling to survive, nobody came to help me, rather they criticised me. There are many people like me, and I always thank my voters for giving me the opportunity to serve them," said Champa.
"As a hawker, I get to go door-to-door and meet all these voters. I try to understand their struggles and do my best to do something for them," she added.
Contacted, Md Azhar Ali, chairman of Parshodanga union, said, "Champa sets an example of how to give service to the people amidst hurdles in life."
"After serving her role as a newspaper hawker, she joined the union parishad on time and performed her duty successfully. This is inspiring to say the least," Azhar said.
"There are many people in our society who blame their fate for living lives like Champa's. But Champa never relied on her fate but worked to build her fortune," said Md Anisur Rahman, a college teacher in the area.