Delwar Hossain, a raw materials trader from Bogura's Shibganj upazila had a dream: he wanted to ensure the best education he could afford for his daughter Swarnali Akhter Drishti.
Delwar's dream stemmed from his own story. Deprived by circumstance of a proper education when he was growing up, he was determined to ensure that the same fate would not befall his daughter.
The importance he placed on learning was evident in the fact that more than 24 years after he passed his HSC exams, he returned to education and graduated from the Open University.
He admitted Drishti to BAF Shaheen College in Barpur, Bogura city – more than 25 kilometres from their home.
She would make the long journey back and forth each day for her education.
With the burden of expectation always on her, success was her only option.
According to former teachers and parents, Drishti had always been the class topper in all her grades since childhood.
Her mother, Rabeya Sultana, recalls how Drishti would wake up at 5:00am everyday and leave for school an hour later. She would return around noon and then a session with her private tutor would follow soon after lunch.
After returning home, Drishti would study for another five-six hours regularly, going to bed by 11:00pm.
"She would study all the textbooks, revising at least four to five times each," Rabeya said.
Such sincere and painstaking effort bore fruit as Drishti recently secured 1,283 out of 1,300 in her SSC exams – the highest in the Rajshahi Education Board and the second highest in the country.
For Drishti, it wasn't just pressure; it was ambition.
"I expected good results, but not this good," Drishti said with a smile.
With the magical result sheet in her hand, Drishti now aspires to become a doctor.
She urged everyone to start preparing for their exams from Class 9.
As for Delwar, his happiness knows no bounds.
"I could not study after passing my HSC in 1991. Then in 2015, I graduated from the Open University. So, I always thought about giving my children a good education."
On Sunday, at the reception ceremony for meritorious students of Bangladesh Air Force Shaheen College, the institution's principal Group Captain Shantanu Chowdhury greeted Drishti with flowers and sweets.
It was indeed a moment of pride. But Drishti wasn't ready to rest on her laurels. Her eyes remained focused on the future.
Comments