WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Now
we turn to Bangladesh,
where some children
walk the beaches selling

trinkets and food to
help their families deal
with grinding poverty.

Many of the girls will
be married before they
become adults, and
will often be expected

to assume traditional
roles in the house.

But one ambitious group of
young girls is pushing back
against that tide, and heading

into the surf.

Special correspondent Tania
Rashid takes us wave-riding.

TANIA RASHID: The world's
longest beach is in Bangladesh,
and it is in Cox's Bazar, the

only beach town in the country.

And these are the only
girls that ride the waves.

Watching girls surf is a rare
sight in this predominantly
Muslim country of 160 million.

The surfers are mainly men,
and most of the people here say
it bothers them to see girls

in the water.

But that's no matter
to Sobe Meheraz.

She is one of the 12 surfer
girls in the entire region.

At the surf club, she tells me
about her passion for surfing.

SOBE MEHERAZ, Surfer (through
translator): My friends surf.

Once we surf, and I can
ride a big wave, then
I feel really good.

That's why I love surfing.

When people see me, they say,
wow, you rode such a big wave.

Everyone watches
me at the beach.

Everyone says,
good job, good job.

But there are some boys
around the neighborhood
that say bad things.

They don't know me.

People don't understand.

They frown upon it.

It's most Bengali people
that don't like it.

TANIA RASHID: With the rising
scale of Islamist extremism and
attacks in the area, these girls

have already faced threats
from conservative Muslims
in the neighborhood.

At a nearby madrassa, an
Islamic religious school, funded
by non-government sources,

including help from
individuals abroad and
within their community,
a local imam is training

young boys to recite the
Koran and practice Islam.

What do you think about young
girls and women surfing?

MAN (through translator):
The issue of girls surfing,
to me, isn't a good thing.

Girls are meant to be covered,
so that boys can't see them.

Girls have been told to
stay out of boys' sight.

Girls are respectful
beings, and they have
been asked to stay hidden.

So, if girls are surfing and
go into the ocean, then a
lot of people can see then.

And that's a sin.

It's not good.

TANIA RASHID: What is a
woman's role in Islam, then?

MAN (through translator):
God has created women
to be respected and
to be at the disposal

of men.

This is the main
theory of Islam.

TANIA RASHID: But this
perception of the men doesn't
stop Sobe Meheraz from surfing.

SOBE MEHERAZ (through
translator): No,
no, I'm not scared.

I used to be scared at
first, but not anymore.

TANIA RASHID: In just
a few days, there
will be a competition
sponsored by an American

missionary called
Surfing the Nations.

Hundreds of people will be
watching, including the judges.

Sobe Meheraz and Shoma are the
best surfers among the girls.

The top winner will receive
$248.00 and a used surfboard.

The girls could use the cash.

They all live in the slums.

They are determined to win.

Rashed Alam, a longtime surfer
himself, found the girls
selling eggs and jewelry on the

beach five years ago,
and decided to train
the girls to surf.

He now looks after them as
his own and runs a local
surfer boys and girls club.

RASHED ALAM, Founder,
Surf Boys and Girls
Club: They have freedom.

They like have lots
of things to do.

They have life.

What do women do in Bangladesh?

They go get married
and stay in home, like
whole life as housewife.

Here, there are lots of
things to do outside of home.

Don't give up.

Don't give up.

What you are doing
is an amazing job.

You are promoting our country.

I just want to see a
smile on their face.

TANIA RASHID: Shoma's
mother believes in
empowering her daughter.

WOMAN (through translator):
My daughter surfs,
and I am so happy.

Our lives are functioning.

If Allah blesses us,
then my daughter will
be very big surfer.

She can surf for 40 or
50 years, surf well, and
go to a foreign land.

TANIA RASHID: But this town
has some of the highest rates
of poverty in Bangladesh, and

child marriage is rampant.

One in three girls is being
married under the age of 15.

Baby Aktar, Sobe
Meheraz's mother, a
victim of child marriage
herself, married off all

her daughters at 13,
except for Sobe Meheraz.

Since her husband, a drug
addict, left, she's had to
support her family alone.

She is not so fond of
her daughter's surfing.

BABY AKTAR, Mother of Sobe
Meheraz (through translator):
If she had a job, it would be

good for us.

I have so many illnesses.

I have no one to help
me to get me medicine.

I just stay in the
house all by myself.

A woman should understand
another woman's hardship, yes.

She is also a woman.

She is causing me a lot of
pain, this daughter of mine.

TANIA RASHID: Sobe Meheraz
remains to be the only unmarried
daughter in the family.

When she's not surfing, she does
her best to support her mother.

Despite her mother's
discouragement, Sobe
Meheraz is determined to
win the girls division

at the annual competition.

And today is the big day.

She and the rest of the girls
come one by one at 5:00 a.m.
to begin prepping for the

competition.

Now that I'm looking at the
waves, it seems like that it
might be difficult for you to

surf.

Do you think you are going
to be able to manage?

WOMAN: Yes.

TANIA RASHID: Though
crowds cheer on the
girls, the stares linger.

Local Muslim onlookers are not
very pleased watching the girls
surf, including the religious

men surrounding the area.

Crowds gather to watch
both the girls and boys
prep to ride the waves.

Local media is present.

SOBE MEHERAZ (through
translator): My name
is Sobe Meheraz.

I give my salaam to everyone.

I'm happy I'm in the final.

If I am first place,
I will be happy.

And if my team members win,
I will be really happy.

TANIA RASHID: Sobe Meheraz
and the girls wait nervously
before they hit their last wave.

The stakes are high.

Sobe Meheraz's friend, Shoma,
also feels the pressure.

SHOMA, Surfer (through
translator): I'm really scared.

I'm very scared
about my performance.

Will I do well?

The waves are bad.

I will be really happy if I win.

It is my life's dream.

TANIA RASHID: But the
whistle blows, and they
have to face the ocean.

One by one, they each
go as Rashed looks on.

RASHED ALAM: I'm feeling
like really happy now.

I'm really happy.

What I'm always looking
for, always my dream,
there, like, it's happening.

TANIA RASHID: At a final
ceremony, the winners
are about to be awarded.

The girls dance to pass time as
all the mothers wait anxiously.

And after surfing into being
in second place two years in
a row, this year, Sobe Meheraz

wins first prize.

SOBE MEHERAZ (through
translator): I didn't win
twice, but I won this time.

My name is Sobe
Meheraz, 2017 champion.

Champion!

I kept telling myself
I'm not going to give up.

When I went surfing,
I said I can do this.

At first, I did feel then
I went for it and dived
and became a champion.

TANIA RASHID: And she
finally feels like she has
won her mother's approval.

SOBE MEHERAZ (through
translator): My mom is so happy.

She can tell everyone in our
neighborhood: My daughter
is the champion of 2017.

TANIA RASHID: Sobe Meheraz plans
on giving the money she won to
help her family and donating

her board to the surf club,
so young girls can continue to
learn to surf, just like her.

For the "PBS NewsHour,"
I'm Tania Rashid in
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.