Bangladeshi surfer girls rebel against their country's customs By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.13.16 Word Count 620 Friends (from left) Aisha, 11, Sumi, 13, and Shoma Akthar, 14, are some of the girls surfing together at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. Photo: Shashank Bengali/Los Angeles Times/TNS COX S BAZAR, Bangladesh The girls walk this endless stretch of beach every morning, weaving through flocks of visitors to sell food. The ocean breeze whips the scarves of their traditional dresses. They rarely went into the water. In their traditional world of southern Bangladesh, girls were told not to swim. Bangladesh is a small country between India and China. Three years ago, one of the girls noticed a lifeguard gliding across the waves on a surfboard. Her name was Shoma Akthar. When the surfer came back to shore, she told him, I want to do that. The surfer's name was Rashed Alam. Alam told her to meet him the next morning. It Takes Courage To Play It was several weeks before Shoma worked up the courage. She knew her mother would not want her to do anything that took her away from working on the beach. She began going late in the morning to get in the water. Within days, others followed.
Surfing is a sport that involves standing on top of a board and using it to ride ocean waves. It has given these girls a feeling of freedom and excitement. These are things that not many young girls experience in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a very Muslim country. Many girls get married when they are children. Now they are in the water every day. Alam and the girls slide across the waves and go against customs as old as the Bay of Bengal. In the town of Cox s Bazar adulthood often begins early. Poor children are taken from school to sell things so that their families can eat. This was how Alam found the girls. Alam grew up working on the beach, too. He taught himself to surf and helped start the Cox s Bazar surf club in 2008. It now has 55 people and a small collection of boards. When he started teaching the girls, it was as if he had found his calling. Sisters Hide From Angry Father None of the parents reacted well to hearing their daughters were surfing. They worried about the danger and what other people would think. Neighbors gossiped. Some of the girls were harassed on the street. Young men went to their houses and said the girls were behaving improperly. The parents of two sisters hit them. The girls were named Rifa and Aisha. They were so afraid of their father that when they saw him in town, they would hide. But in the water, they were not afraid of anything. One night, Rifa lunged into the ocean to chase a soccer ball after a boy challenged her. Surfing Success Warms A Mother's Heart Several times, Shoma s mother came down to the beach to drag her daughter back to work. The two live by themselves in a one-room house made of sand. Shoma would go to the beach in the mornings to sell the eggs that her mother boiled. This was the only way they earned money. At one point last year, Shoma was sent to work as a housekeeper. Alam persuaded Shoma s mother that her daughter shouldn t work as a maid because she was becoming a talented surfer. A few months later, Shoma placed third in a contest and won $40. That is as much as she would earn in two months as a housekeeper. To celebrate, she and her mother went to the nearby city of Chittagong for a day. It was the first family trip she could remember. Shoma's mother has warmed to her daughter s hobby. One evening, she laughed when asked whether she wanted Shoma to be married soon.
She ll get married when she wants, her mother replied. She might be going surfing in Hawaii one day. Shoma grinned.
Quiz 1 Read the section "It Takes Courage To Play." Why did Shoma Atkar wait several weeks before starting to surf? because she was worried about what her family would think because she wanted to convince friends to come with her because she was too busy selling things to make money because she was scared to stand on top of the board 2 How did Rashed Alam get involved with teaching Bangladeshi girls to surf? He helped start the Cox's Bazar surf club in 2008. He discovered surfing when he was working as a lifeguard. He met Shoma Akthar three years ago on the beach. He started tutoring the girls to help with their English. 3 Which sentence from the article is MOST important to include in a summary? One evening, she laughed when asked whether she wanted Shoma to be married soon. Alam and the girls slide across the waves and go against customs as old as the Bay of Bengal. Alam persuaded Shoma s mother that her daughter should not work as a maid because she was becoming a talented surfer. Shoma would go to the beach in the mornings to sell the eggs that her mother boiled. 4 What is the MAIN idea of the section "Surfing Success Warms A Mother's Heart"? Shoma earned $40 by placing third in a surfing contest, more than the job her mother got her. Shoma's mother understands that Shoma does not want to get married anytime soon. Shoma's mother is starting to understand why surfing is important to her daughter. Shoma and her mother live by themselves and must earn money to get by.
Answer Key 1 Read the section "It Takes Courage To Play." Why did Shoma Atkar wait several weeks before starting to surf? because she was worried about what her family would think because she wanted to convince friends to come with her because she was too busy selling things to make money because she was scared to stand on top of the board 2 How did Rashed Alam get involved with teaching Bangladeshi girls to surf? He helped start the Cox's Bazar surf club in 2008. He discovered surfing when he was working as a lifeguard. He met Shoma Akthar three years ago on the beach. He started tutoring the girls to help with their English. 3 Which sentence from the article is MOST important to include in a summary? One evening, she laughed when asked whether she wanted Shoma to be married soon. Alam and the girls slide across the waves and go against customs as old as the Bay of Bengal. Alam persuaded Shoma s mother that her daughter should not work as a maid because she was becoming a talented surfer. Shoma would go to the beach in the mornings to sell the eggs that her mother boiled. 4 What is the MAIN idea of the section "Surfing Success Warms A Mother's Heart"? Shoma earned $40 by placing third in a surfing contest, more than the job her mother got her. Shoma's mother understands that Shoma does not want to get married anytime soon. Shoma's mother is starting to understand why surfing is important to her daughter. Shoma and her mother live by themselves and must earn money to get by.