Before the first light of dawn reaches Cox’s Bazar beach, when tourists are still away and the shore remains quiet, a teenage girl runs towards the sea with a surfboard in her hand.
Moments later, she stands on the board, cutting through the waves. Each wave carries her a little closer to a dream built through years of hardship.
She is Fatema Akter, a young surfer whose life is now tied to the sea, a surfboard and an ambition that once seemed impossible. Poverty, social barriers and criticism could not stop her. Instead, every challenge pushed her further.
Behind her journey is the sacrifice of a mother who works in people’s homes, a family’s struggle with poverty and a girl’s determination to hold on to her dream despite limited opportunities.
Now, Fatema is on the verge of making history for Bangladesh. She will become the country’s first female surfer to compete at the Asian Games, representing Bangladesh at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Another Cox’s Bazar surfer, Md Mannan, will represent Bangladesh in the men’s category.
The biggest sporting event in Asia begins on 19 September, with surfing scheduled from 25 to 28 September at Pacific Long Beach in Tahara city of Japan’s Aichi prefecture.
Fatema’s journey began far from the international stage. Her childhood was spent battling poverty in Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar. Later, her family moved to Ghonarpara in Cox’s Bazar city in search of a better livelihood.
The third of four siblings, Fatema lost her father, Zainal Abedin, at a young age. The responsibility of raising the family fell on her mother, Monowara Begum, who worked in people’s homes to provide for her children.
In a family struggling to survive, a daughter dreaming of becoming a surfer was unusual for many. But Monowara chose to stand beside her daughter rather than listen to society’s criticism.
“Fatema has had a great interest in surfing since childhood. Many people said many things. I did not want my daughter’s dream to stop because of people’s comments. If she can do something good for the country, what greater joy could I have?” Monowara told TIMES.
That support became Fatema’s greatest strength. Before learning to conquer sea waves, she had to overcome the waves of life.
Fatema discovered surfing at a young age after watching others ride waves on Cox’s Bazar beach. What started as curiosity slowly became a passion and eventually became her life’s goal.
But her journey was not easy. She faced criticism for choosing a sport that many considered unsuitable for girls. Financial hardship also remained a constant obstacle.
“Many people say many things. But I do not listen to them because I enjoy surfing. I want to fulfil my dream,” Fatema told TIMES.
Her hard work brought success. She became a national champion several times and represented Bangladesh in international competitions. In 2025, she competed in an international event in Chennai, India, gaining her first major experience outside the country.
“I learned many new things about surfing after going to Chennai. I realised that I need to work much harder to compete at the international level,” she said.
Her biggest breakthrough came when Bangladeshi surfers qualified for the Asian Games for the first time through their performances at the Asian Surfing Championship in Tamil Nadu, India.
For Fatema, wearing the national colours at the Asian Games is a dream come true. But she wants to go further.
“Being able to play for the country is a big achievement for me. I am practising every day to do well at the Asian Games. My biggest dream is to one day participate in the Olympics representing Bangladesh,” she said.
Alongside surfing, Fatema continues her studies at Cox’s Bazar Poura Preparatory High School, where she is a Class 10 student. Her days are divided between early morning waves and classroom lessons.
Sharing the same historic opportunity is Md Mannan, who will become Bangladesh’s first male surfer to compete at the Asian Games.
Mannan has trained for years in the waters of Cox’s Bazar but says Bangladesh’s surfers still lack the facilities and sponsorship needed for international preparation.
“We are somewhat behind others in terms of preparation because we do not have enough training facilities and sponsorship. Still, I have not given up. I will try to give my best for the country,” he said.
Fatema’s coach Rashed Alam said international-level preparation requires opportunities to train abroad, but such facilities remain limited.
“We need more opportunities and regular training for international-level preparation. But due to a lack of adequate sponsorship, we do not always get those opportunities. Still, we are hopeful about Fatema and Mannan,” he said.
The Asian Games surfing competition will be held at Pacific Long Beach, one of Japan’s recognised surfing destinations. Competitors will ride multiple waves within a fixed period, with results decided by the combined scores of their two best rides. Judges will assess technique, speed, power, creativity and overall performance.
