Dreams

"Coming from such a place where no one has the audacity to study science and ending up standing first in H.S.C examination from Barisal Board was quite like a dream. Because the village from which my education started is yet to receive electricity. A few of the houses are powered by solar energy. People can only watch BTV in television. Literacy rate isn't that high either. And when I got chance in Sir Salimullah Medical College the news spread far and wide. A reception was organized in my college to congratulate me.
I was only 2 years old when my father passed away from blood cancer. After that my mother took me with her to her brother's house. From a very young age my mother would teach me alphabets and some Bangla rhymes. So, after attending classes for only 15 days the teachers promoted me from KG to 1st grade. As a result, when I attended S.S.C examination, I was the youngest in my class. In a school where G.P.A 3.78 was the best S.S.C result, I got golden A+.
The fee for participating in the fifth grade scholarship examination was 50taka. We were still dependent on our uncle then. On the last day of depositing the fee, my uncle didn't have the money. On the other hand, my mother had a terrible fever. And we didn't even have the money to buy medicine for her. A next-door neighbor said if I worked for him in the fields, he will pay the fees. He paid me 30taka for working in his fields. I gave that money to my teacher and said that I would give the rest later. My teacher waivered the rest of the fees.
Whenever an educated relative came to visit us, my mother would learn and write down the pronunciation and meanings of English poems. She would later teach me that. Once in third grade everyone had a homework to draw the national flag. But I didn't have any color pencils. So, my mother colored the red circle of the flag from the fruit of Puishak.
I didn't have good clothes to wear at school. So I would hide during the P.T. because after P.T everyone's dresses were checked. After P.T when everyone entered the classroom, I would enter with them.
High school was quite far from my home. To catch the 10 A.M class I had to get out at 7. During the rainy season, I would carry my clothes in a polythene bag as in some parts of the way you could only cross by swimming. The teacher who taught us Bengali also taught us Science. So I had difficulty understanding the lessons. But still I would stand first in the class by a long shot. When the S.S.C examination was knocking at the door, I realized if I continued like this, I wouldn't be able to pass. At that time, our honorable chairman sir came forward. He is a very good-hearted man. He made arrangements for my lodging and my studies in the nearby city. He bore all the expenses. The S.S.C examination fee was 3000 takas. That amount of money was impossible for me to manage alone. Again he came forward to pay the fees. Even besides that whenever I would be in a problem, whether financial or mental, he would always support me like his own son.
I dream of going a long way. I am grateful to the Almighty for where I stand, I stand at His mercy. No matter how adverse the situation maybe, endeavor is something that can take a man on the brink of success. There will be obstacles in life. But through overcoming those obstacles lies the true meaning of life.