Setara was a playful child, curious about the world and always up for helping everyone around her. To contribute to her community, she wanted to keep on studying in school.

But life doesn't always go according to plan  for a poor girl from a small Lalmonirhat village. Her father couldn't afford her education, so Setara had to drop out when she was in eighth grade.

The next years of her life was a story of  agony. After her father passed away, she was married off to Shamsul Alam, known among locals as Shamsu Pagla, because he suffered from mental illness.

But Setara isn't the one who surrenders. She remained by his side  in every way possible.

Earlier, Shamsul used to sell nuts and eggs  in the village. Besides, doing household chores, Setara often accompanied him.

Setara and Shamsul don't have any land of their own and have been  living in a small tin-shed house at  Mogholhat of Lalmonirhat for  years.

"Look, many people are not so kind to an individual like my husband. They used to mock him. But my sheer presence used to comfort him a great deal," she told this correspondent.

Every day at the break of dawn, Setara sets out from her home. She goes from village to village, hearing problems and trying to solve them as soon as possible, covering at least five villages on foot daily.

In a way, this knack for being there for people who are vulnerable inspired her to run for reserved chair-member post in  Mogholhat union parishad elections, she said.

Initially, locals laughed the idea off.

But Setara, with her innocent smile and down-to-earth attitude, soon won them over. So much so that the same locals financed her entire campaign. And she ended up winning.

When the results came out on November 28, 2021, it showed Setara securing  2,600 votes, while her competitor got 1,700.

Now the 37-year-old Setara is on a mission to give back to her voters, working tirelessly for them.

Every day at the break of dawn, she sets out from her home with a bag on her shoulder, accompanied by her husband.

"I'm happy to have Shamsul as my husband. I don't let him sell nuts and eggs anymore," she said.

Her bag contains various important  documents, including those on how to get old-age or disability allowance and how to apply for a VGD card. She goes from village to village, hearing problems and trying to solve them as soon as possible, covering at least five villages on foot daily.

Day labourer Nazar Ali (50) of Etapota village told The Daily Star  that his son Shihab Islam (14) has physical disabilities. With Setara's help, his son got a disability allowance card. And for this, he did not have to spend any money.

"She is always there for us. She is like our guardian angel," he added.

Hawa Begum (63) of the same village said Setara arranged for her treatment at the local government facility after hearing that Hawa had been sick for a long time.

Abia Begum (60) of Megharam village said  she tried to get a  VGD card for a long time, but in vain. "One evening, Setara came to my house and arranged for a card."

Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programme is one of the largest social security programmes of the government for the development of distressed women.

Mogholhat UP Chairperson Habibur Rahman said, "Setara Begum didn't understand anything about official work at first. Now she does her job well. She prefers to roam the field more than sitting in the UP office."

Setara still lives in the  small tin-shed house like before. "My husband receives disability allowance, and I get a small honorarium for my post. I'm happy with this," she said.

The house where they live is owned by Anwar Hossain.

"Setara and her husband didn't have a roof over their head before. So I helped them build their home. Now, she is helping others as an elected representative. What more can I ask for?" said Anwar.