Translated by Mahmudul Hoque Khan Dulal: It was quite unknown to Abdul Khaleque to get education at school and college and even to heard the name of Dhaka University. But the reality is that this very boy himself is now a teacher of this higher seat of learning. He used to think that everybody goes at school and college for learning. A poverty-striken boy Khaleque grew up in a very adverse situation where he did not get any financial support for taking education. At this situation he used to think that it was enough to know to write name or to know to put signature. At best a person could go to high school for few days and then he would have to take responsibility for maintaining his family. Children like the family of Khaleque are compelled to go out for their livelihood instead of going to school at such age. They take  spades in their own hands in lieu of pen. Khaleque heard the name of Dhaka University when he was a student of  nine. He came to know the name of Dhaka University through an admission guide of this university at first. But most surprisingly in this very university, one of the leading universities in the world he became a teacher. He joined there as a Lecturer of the Department Development Studies.
But how was it possible? Perseverance, hard labour and deep attention to study has made him a successful one despite his severe poverty. It is an unbelievable story of a boy named Khaleque who has reached his goal by his untiring efforts and hard work as well. He comes of a such family at Khalisha Kandi village of Shajahanpur in Bogra where poverty was their only companion. They had to pass their days with acute hardship. It was quite impossible for them to make their both ends meet. He grew up by seeing the sky through the small whole of their roof of the house or it’s fence made of bamboo and perhaps he showed his courage to touch the sky.“ Pora lekha korey jey gari ghora chorey shey”( Those who become educated could ride on cars or horses) this was heard by him in his boyhood and it was in was in his mind during the whole student life. Although the main view of education is to gain knowledge but to some one it was a way to keep their existence as well. In his very boyhood Khaleque understood that study was the only one tool for struggling in life.

Khaleque in which family he grew up study was one kind of luxury and nothing than that. Regarding this Khaleque says, “Then I crossed class three and will get admission for class four. It was required five taka to get admission for class four. Accordingly I asked for money to my guardians but they refused to pay as there was no money in their hands. We are in such a pitiable condition that tk. 5 was more important than getting admission. They asked me to get admission in class three instead of class four.”
But all the impediments could not halt Khaleque’s study. He initiated his study by hearing the lessons of some children of a neighbouring well off family. The boys of that house used to study in a loud voice and Khaleque get by heart those Bengali and English alphabets in that way. With such preliminary knowledge he took admission a primary school in his village. He made a history by having scholarship in class five as nobody did get this earlier in that school.
There are many stories of Khaleque which could inspire others. Such a story told Khaleque to this Correspondent. He said, “Once I was beaten up by my elders and they ousted me from the house with bare body. I had only a half pant with me. I was at my wit loss. But my mind was at school and I do not feel better except going to school. Henceforth I took decision to go to school by wearing only the half pant. But how do I enter into the class room? I stood up nearby outside the classroom when our English class was going on. A question was asked by our teacher to the student but nobody replied the correct answer. At that state I replied correctly and my teacher became astonished as I was outside the classroom with bare body. A fellow mates gave me a shirt and I wore it up and attended the class.
Khaleque did not only get scholarship in class five rather he also secured the third position in the SSC (Humanities Group)in entire Rajshahi Board and made a history as the first student who did such a brilliant result in Chachaitara Madla Jukto High School. He also became third in the HSC Examination from Bogra Cantonment College in 2001and later on he got the 36th position in merit list at the admission test of Dhaka University.
Many people stood beside him by extending their financial support during his long struggle. Somebody gave his own shirt to him in a bid to go to school and Khaleque could not forget those people who extended their cooperation in his bad days as of today. He cited a name of a person Anisur Rahman who helped Khaleque to make easier to his study through private teaching from primary to college level by seeing his severe interest in acquiring knowledge. Even he showed the right way to him till the student life in Dhaka University. Khaleque did not stay in in the university hall with a view to avert bad student politics and for this why he used to continue his study at Shamoli, a house of one Noor Mohammad Talukdar who was also a teacher of Mymenshing Agriculture University.
As khaleque secured a position in merit list in HSC which was published in different newspapers and it was also attracted the kind attention of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. She asked him to pay a visit to her and she donated Tk. Fifty Thousand for his study. The then District Commissioner of Bogra Shamsul Haque also extended his support on regular basis.He was also provided monetary help from Prothom Alo after passing his HSC examination.Many people helped him and the list of it is so long. But we have to bear in mind only cooperation is not enough for becoming successful. The person should do everything in his own way which will help him to reach his goal. Mr. Khaleque has started his career as a teacher of Dhaka University as he secured first class in Honours and Masters.
We have unlimited allegations regarding our life. We feel unhappy when we can not reach our expected goals. but like Khaleque there are many people who show courage by taking their lives as challenges. They fulfill their expectations by heard labour and strong will. They are the main source of inspirations and Khaleque is a real instance in our society. We really feel proud of him. In true sense he is the pride of the whole nation.Source: The Daily Prothom Alo, Rajeeb Hasan, September 9, 2013