::: Star Insight :::

Guru Griho

From Mymensingh
An All-Women's College

Aminul Islam

Acollege has been bringing hopes to girls, particularly those from poverty-stricken families. The campus surrounded by green and coconut is visually attractive to both students and visitors.

Jahanara Latif Mohila Degree College, a women's college has been a light for women of remote areas of Jamalpur district. The school has been significant in educating girls of the region for the past 12 years.

It is second of five women's colleges in Jamalpur including a Govt. Mohila college at the district headquarters. The college located at village Molika Dangha in Melandah Upazila, is some 20 kilometers away from Jamalpur district town. It was established in 1994 on five acres of land by some generous people of the locality to enlighten the females of this backwater region.

The college started its academic session in the same year with the appointment of Abul Fate Abdullahel Momin as its principal. He was the first person with a postgraduate degree in English from Dhaka University in West Jamalpur. He took charge of the college after his retirement from Govt. Bangla College in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Presently the college is one of the best in Jamalpur in terms of its results in Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations. On average, the passing rate at HSC level is over 70 percent, college sources said. Degree courses at the college were introduced in 1999.

Alhaj Md. Abdul Latif, an eminent businessman of Melandah upazila founded the college and named it after his wife Jahanara Begum. Mirza Azam, a former lawmaker of Awami League from Melandah-Madarganj constituency, also Secretary of Jubo League Central Committee played a pioneering role in establishing the college.

Some other local elites like late Dr. Nurul Islam, also an Ex-MP, Alhaj Didar Pasha, Chairman of Melandah Municipality, Advocate Ismat Pasha, Late Abdul Hye Bacchu Mian, also an Ex-MP, Nurul Amin, B.Sc and Babur Ali extended their all-out helps to grow the college to its present state.

At present over 600 students are studying in Science, Arts and Commerce Groups at HSC and B.A and BSS of Degree levels. The college has a staff of 39 teachers. A total of 22 subjects are taught at HSC and Degree levels in the college including Home Economics, Statistics, Geography, Psychology, Accounting and Business Studies. The college also employs 14 third and fourth class employees.

The college has also a good reputation for its participation in cultural and Rover Scouts activities at district and at the National levels.

From its very beginning, the college was housed in a tin-shed hostel to accomodate the students coming from distant villages. Now the hostel has the capacity to accomodate over 100 students who mainly come from adjacent Madarganj, Islampur and Sadar upazilas of Jamalpur.

“We are proud of the results of the college as many of our students are in and outside the district for higher studies”, said SM Ansar Ali, Principal of the college. He also added that the college has some problems like insufficient academic buildings and no concrete boundary wall, which is very necessary for running a female college and the hostel inside it. Due to lack of funds, the college authority cannot build the concrete boundary wall to conduct college activities.

A boundary wall and a hostel building are needed urgently for the safety of the students as well for a congenial academic atmosphere for the college, sources said.

A two-storied academic building was built last year at a cost of Tk. 30 lakh which has lessened the accommodation problem partially but another academic building is needed for classes, said Md. Khairul Islam, Vice-Principal. If the security of the hostel is increased, enrolment numbers would surely go up.