ASSAM: Gaziul Hoque Choudhury is a hero in his own right. A schoolteacher by day, he transforms into a social reformer in the evening. After school or during holidays, the 58-year-old rides his two-wheeler to raise awareness among villagers about issues like child marriage, alcoholism, and witch-hunting. Through his friendly approach, he has successfully prevented around 30 to 40 child marriages.
A native of Dalgaon in Assam’s Darrang district, Choudhury teaches at Dalgaon Refugee Lower Primary School. His journey into social activism began in 1983 when, as a college student, he started educating poor and illiterate farmers about their rights. Over time, his efforts expanded to neighboring villages. He noticed that farmers were not only exploited by wealthy businessmen but also failed to benefit from government schemes due to ignorance.
“The government provides free medicines and fertilizers, but farmers here had no idea how to access them. They worked hard but didn’t get fair prices for their produce, especially jute farmers,” Choudhury explained.
To address this, he organised awareness camps in 42 villages, guiding farmers on how to apply for government benefits. “They didn’t know where to go or what documents were needed. I showed them the way,” he said.
His next mission was to combat alcoholism, a major issue in the villages. Inspired by his dedication, about a dozen educated individuals joined his cause.
From an early age, Choudhury had witnessed child marriages, which often led to severe health complications for young brides. Determined to bring change, he launched a door-to-door awareness campaign across multiple villages.
“Villagers saw daughters as a burden and married them off early. We spoke to families and convinced them to wait until the girls became adults. Our approach is always friendly and positive, ensuring that no one feels offended,” he said.
In some cases, he and his team intervened just days before a child marriage. “We sat with both families and persuaded them to delay the wedding. If the police got involved, we stayed away to avoid being seen as informers,” he added.
When the All Assam Minority Students’ Union took a stand against child marriage, Choudhury collaborated with them. Their efforts, along with the Assam government’s strict interventions, contributed to an 81% reduction in child marriages across 20 districts between 2021-22 and 2023-24.
Choudhury also fights against witch trials, where innocent people are branded as witches due to deaths, diseases, personal enmity, or land disputes. The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2015, has significantly reduced such incidents. Besides, he cautions villagers against relying on quack doctors for medical treatment, urging them to visit hospitals instead.