A couple from Kuliarchar, Kishoreganj, has become a sensation both locally and on social media after passing the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination together. Forty-three-year-old Md. Badiul Alam Naeem secured a GPA of 4.29, while his wife, 33-year-old Sharmeen Akhter, achieved an impressive GPA of 4.5. Their joint achievement has captivated the community and gone viral online.
The couple appeared for the HSC exam under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board from Lakshmipur Technical and BM College in Kuliarchar. Naeem, a contractor by profession, hails from Dbariakandi village in Chaissuti Union, Kuliarchar Upazila, and is the son of Md. Kanu Mia and Moshammat Sajeda. Although he intended to take the SSC examination back in 1997, circumstances prevented him from doing so.
Sharmeen Akhter’s story is equally inspiring. She married at a young age while still in class nine and had to forgo her SSC examination in 2010 after becoming a mother. With the responsibilities of family life, her education took a back seat. However, in 2020, their eldest daughter, Bushra Akhter Beethi, and the then Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Sadia Islam Luna, encouraged the couple to return to their studies.
In 2022, the couple enrolled at Binnabaid Darul Uloom Dakhil Madrasa through the Open University and achieved remarkable success in their SSC exams, with Naeem scoring a GPA of 4.95 and Sharmeen earning a perfect GPA of 5.
Reflecting on their journey, Sharmeen said, “With our daughter’s encouragement and the support of our family, we were motivated to restart our education. We stayed focused, and now we’ve both passed the HSC together.” Naeem echoed her sentiments, adding, “Although I couldn’t take the exams before our marriage, balancing business and family responsibilities, we finally made it. Our success has made our family and friends proud.”
Their achievement is now the talk of the town in Kishoreganj, earning admiration from the community and serving as a testament to the power of determination and family support.