For Nazma Begum, motherhood became a memory of grief before it could become a fulfilled dream. Two years ago, the 20-year-old gave birth to her first child on a remote river island in northern Bangladesh. The joy of holding her newborn lasted only three days.

Bangladesh is a riverine country and where there is river, there are often chars (shoals). Chars are essentially shallow lands in the river that rise when the water level decreases. Sometimes a char rises and stays visible for years before fading back into the river. Leaving aside the definition, chars can be great places to travel.