Sheikh Rasel Ahmed
School Clerk & Educator
Sheikh Rasel Ahmed, from Jhenidah, provides free lessons to children after school so that they have a chance to excel. He has become an inspiration to the people of his area. Although he is a clerk at Baliadanga Secondary School, he has taken up the initiative to provide tuition to weak students from the area and neighbouring villages. More than 75 students are seen receiving free classes on weekdays, starting after the Maghrib prayers up until late night.
Rasel joined the secondary school in Kaliganj Upazila, under Jhenidah district, back in October 2010. Since his appointment as the school clerk, he noticed that students appearing for their Junior Scholarship Certificate (JSC) exams had done very poorly. Most of the examinees had failed in three or four subjects each. Most people in this kind of a situation would just carry on with their daily lives, not giving a second thought. A few would step up to make sure that these children were doing better in the future. As most of the students of this school could not afford to pay for private tuition, Rasel's initiative is not only rare but one of the most commendable of acts that a person could have taken up. He labours at the school since dawn and then makes sure that the weaker students get a chance to compete amongst themselves for their own good. And he does it for free.
The coaching centre accommodates more than 75 students every night from different schools in the Upazila. Students from Banuria Secondary School, Baro Shimla Secondary School and Baliadanga Dakhil Madrasa attend the night classes on a regular basis. Rasel supervises and teaches these children with the help of seven other teachers -- Fariduzzaman, Sirajul Islam, Torab Ali, Israil Hossain, Rasheda Pervin, Limon Hossain and Razu Ahmed -- two of whom are from the Baliadanga Secondary School, while the rest are unemployed. These teachers have followed Rasel's footsteps and have taken up his initiative as their own.
School hours end at 2 pm everyday, at which time the students head off to home to have lunch. They swarm back during the Asr prayers. They take to the school field with various activities and sports till Maghrib prayers. Books and lessons come out right as darkness falls over the horizon and rigorous studies begin to commence till before midnight. The effort put forward by the tutors under Rasel's initiative ensured that 24 out of 27 JSC students this year have passed, doing well in their exams. The statistics itself goes to show the exemplary work that is being done in this rural area by Rasel.
One of many beneficiaries of this project is Rabiul Islam who earns Tk 145 every Friday working at a construction site. The grade eight student of the school bears his own educational costs, as his parents are unable to do so. He says, “This coaching centre is providing a great service to the underprivileged students. These villages will be benefited greatly, if this initiative continues.
“I want to impart knowledge unto the poor students from these remote areas. Most of these students can't study for the lack of money. I want to help them realise their latent talents so that they can become self-reliant. I do this for free as I personally know what it feels like to be from a disadvantaged background. I never received any such help from anyone and I don't want these children to suffer the same fate,” Sheikh Rasel says.
Baliadanga Secondary School headmaster Nritya Gopal Sarkar said that ever since Rasel joined the school and had taken up this initiative, overall results at the school were improving at a steady pace. He is happy with the progress that the students are making.
Upazila Secondary Education Officer Abdul Bari said, “Rasel's efforts are commendable. Poor students from each Upazila can receive free education if only local people and teachers follow Rasel's example.”
By Azibor Rahman
Tania Reza
Pilot
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First Officer Tania Reza, one of only five female pilots employed by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has been head over heels in love with flying in the sky ever since she saw her uncles train as pilots in Jessore. At the age of 20, Tania took her first flying lesson and after that there was no looking back for her.
Tania went on to train as a pilot and in the middle of her training she left for the USA where she got her commercial license from a flying club in Houston, Texas. Soon afterwards, she also received her multi-engine license. The first milestone of her life came when she joined Biman Bangladesh in 2000. And from then on, there came only achievements. In 2002, she received the honour of being the first officer of F-28 and in 2005 she was promoted to flying international route with AIRBUS 310. Then in 2010 came her biggest accomplishment to date: Her promotion as first officer of DC-1.
“Think big, dream big,” Tania says.
Source: Ice Today
Sabera Akhter
Senior Assistant Commissioner
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Sabera Akhter had received junior scholarship both at class five and class eight, which encouraged her to study more. Her joys knew no bounds when she came to know that she stood 13th in the SSC examination and 9th in HSC in Humanities group under Comilla Education Board. After passing her HSC examination, she got enrolled into Dhaka University, at the Social Welfare and Research Institute. She also obtained a first class in master's.
At the same time, she prepared herself for her BCS examination. Just after completing MSS, she joined BCS in administration cadre as an Assistant Commissioner and Magistrate. During this period, she was blessed with a daughter. Her first posting was at Netrekona Collectorate.
She remained busy the whole day with her work and after returning home would stay up till midnight to look after her baby. Sometimes she felt helpless but she never lost self-confidence. During this difficult juncture of life, her husband, who is a university teacher, happened to be in the US for his higher studies. Whilst taking care of her daughter, she completed all of her trainings and examination, required for the confirmation of her job.
Sabera has worked in some challenging positions. She was an Assistant Commissioner (Land) at Sylhet Sadar and Golapganj Upazila, under Sylhet district. She earned a reputation for her uncompromising decisions towards justice. She still receives peoples' appreciation and gratitude, which gives her much inspiration to work for the people and for humanity. Currently she is working at the Divisional Commissioner's office as a Senior Assistant Commissioner.
She identifies her father as a source of inspiration. She has one message to give: “Hard work, confidence, self-respect and honesty are the sources of success. Don't be half-hearted. Always try to reach the goal by your own capacity without compromising your beliefs.”
Source: Ice Today