Once found abandoned at railway station, Swapan begins new life

A girl found as a helpless four-year-old at Sylhet Railway Station has begun a new chapter of life after getting married 14 years later at the very rehabilitation centre that once sheltered her.

The girl, Swapna Akter, was discovered alone on a busy railway platform with no identity or knowledge of her family. She was taken in by the Integrated Child Rehabilitation Centre under the Department of Social Services in Shibganj Lamapara, Sylhet.

Officials later confirmed that both of her parents had died, leaving her without any known relatives. She was raised at the centre, where she was enrolled in school and gradually rebuilt her life. In 2025, she successfully passed her SSC examinations.

After she reached adulthood and gave consent, authorities arranged her marriage, officials said.

“We ensured her future is safe and stable,” said SM Moktar Hossain, assistant director at the Divisional Social Services Office.

The wedding ceremony, held at the same rehabilitation centre on Wednesday (May 13), was described as deeply emotional, with full arrangements made under institutional supervision. Guests, officials, and well-wishers attended the event, many visibly moved by the occasion.

The groom, a Sylhet-based electrical contractor, was introduced through social arrangements. Financial assistance of around Tk 2,00,000 was also provided by individuals and organisations and will be deposited in Swarna’s name as an FDR. Household items were also gifted to support the couple’s new life.

Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury and senior social services officials attended the ceremony.

Officials said the case stands as an example of long-term state-supported rehabilitation for abandoned and vulnerable children, turning an abandoned child into a self-sufficient adult beginning a new life.