Nasimul Haque works as a carpenter. Also he is the general secretary of the Furniture Workers’ Union, an organisation of people in similar professions in Bholahat. After working all day, he would sit in the organisation’s small office in the evening.
In between his organisational duties, Nasimul would open his books and notebooks there and study until 11:00 pm. Many people around him would laugh when they saw this. Some would say, “What’s the point of studying at this age?”
Nasimul, however, paid no heed to what others said. Eventually, at the age of 43, he sat for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination from the vocational section of Rajshahi Commerce College and earned a GPA of 4.62.
Nasimul’s story is not simply about passing an examination; it is the story of rediscovering a lost dream 24 years later.
In 2002, Nasimul sat for the SSC examination from Bholahat Bachamari High School but failed. He wanted to sit for the examination again. But financial hardship forced him to put that dream aside. His father was struggling to support the family at the time.
Another chapter of Nasimul’s life began. He learned carpentry and took on the responsibility of supporting the family. He later got married, and three children were born. A seven-member family, including his parents, depends on his income.
Yet his interest in education never faded. He was always attentive to his children’s education. He also became a member of the management committee of the primary school his children attended. Later, when local people wanted him to become the committee’s president, one rule stood in the way: anyone seeking the position had to have passed the SSC examination.
The incident deeply affected Nasimul. “I was very upset. That’s when I felt that I had to obtain the certificate, no matter what,” he said. That decision led him to enrol in the vocational section in 2024. He wanted to bring some of his colleagues along with him. But instead of showing interest, many of them made fun of him.
Now, however, those same colleagues are among the happiest. Sakir Ali, a member of the furniture workers’ union, said with a laugh, “It feels like we passed too. We used to make fun of him, but now we are very happy.”
Nasimul’s own realisation is simple. “You need a certificate to go to many places. I don’t want to be deprived of any more opportunities,” he said.
The examination he failed 24 years ago has now opened a new door for him. But Nasimul does not consider this success his final destination. He does not want to stop after passing the SSC. He wants to continue his education.