Shammi Akhter passes HSC at 56
Khulna Bureau :
Shammi Akhter of Khulna has proven the saying, ‘If there is a will, there is a way’. She passed HSC at the age of 56 with the indomitable willpower and the inspiration of her husband and children.
She took the HSC exam this year from Majid Memorial City College in Khulna under Bangladesh Open University and passed with a GPA of 3.18.
She sat in the exam hall again at this age with a combination of her own strength of mind, family inspiration and indomitable willpower. Her husband and children are happy with her success.
Shammi Akhter got married in 1988 while studying in the tenth grade. Family, children and responsibilities all came together and stopped her studies.
But she did not stop. In addition to educating her children, she also kept her dream of education intact.
Shammi told the media that in 2019, her interest in studying again was aroused by the encouragement of her son and husband.
Although she was admitted to Khulna’s Iqbal Nagar Girls’ School under the Open University, the course was later closed. She also received news of the cancellation of admission from the transfer institution.
At one stage, she was devastated, thinking that it might not be possible anymore.
However, in 2021, a teacher’s text message rekindled a spark of hope. She started studying regularly after informing her husband and children. She passed the SSC exam in 2023.
Along with her studies, she is working to eliminate unemployment as an entrepreneur. She has started a small business with her family members at her home in Karimnagar, Khulna.
Shammi Akhter said, daily hard work and patience have brought me to where I am today. After finishing all the family work, I sit down to study after 11 pm. Everyone rests then, and I sit down to study. Because I did not get a chance to study all day.
There is no maid (housekeeper) at home. While studying, I did not realize when 1 am or 2 am would pass. Sometimes it would even reach 3 am.
There was no private teacher, I often learned English by watching YouTube. This is how I found time at night.
Shammi told the media that in 2019, her interest in studying was rekindled by the encouragement of her son and husband.
Although she was admitted to Khulna’s Iqbal Nagar Girls’ School under the Open University, the course was later closed. She also received news of the cancellation of admission from the transfer institution.
At one stage, she was devastated, thinking that it might not be possible anymore. However, in 2021, a teacher’s text message rekindled a spark of hope. She started studying regularly after informing her husband and children.
She passed the SSC exam in 2023. Along with her studies, she is working to eliminate unemployment as an entrepreneur. She has started a small business with her family members at her house in Karimnagar, Khulna.
Shammi Akhter said, daily hard work and patience have brought me to where I am today. After finishing all the family work, I sit down to study after 11 pm.
Everyone rests then, and I sit down to study. Because I did not get a chance to study all day. There is no maid (housekeeper) at home. While studying, I did not realize when 1 am or 2 am would pass. There were also times when it would be 3 am.
There was no private teacher, I often learned English by watching YouTube. This is how I found time at night.
She said, I think age is just a number. I never think about my 56 years. I am a human being.
I have a long way to go. I have to give something to nature and this society. I will continue my studies. This time I will enroll in honors. I want to study.
Her husband, retired army sergeant Md. Hafizur Rahman Mollah, told the media, I motivated Shammi.
When the two sons moved towards a desired success, I said, “You don’t have time to sit around anymore. Focus on your studies.
You don’t need good results, pass. You can do something for the society with this, the next generation can say, ‘This was my grandmother.’
Sometimes, even if there were some disruptions in work, I overlooked them and did it myself. I helped with daily tasks.”
Expressing satisfaction with his wife’s success, he said, “She got him married at a young age, and I also got married at a young age.”
I am trying to remove the degradation of society. I have always been by her side to fulfill her dreams.
Shammi’s eldest son Md. Mamunur Rashid, after completing his graduation and post-graduation in marketing from Azam Khan Government Commerce College in Khulna, is currently a lecturer at a women’s college in Noakhali.
His younger son M M Abdullah Al Mamun, after completing his post-graduation in sociology from Khulna University, did his PhD in Hungary.
Shammi’s eldest son Md. Mamunur Rashid told the media, “I am one of the few children in the world who is happy to get his mother’s results. This joy cannot be expressed in words. I dreamed of this day in 2019, when we all agreed for my mother’s new education life. This is the manifestation of our dream.”
