Roommates to judges: How three friends from the same dorm room made it to the bench

During their campus life, three close friends shared the same room under the same roof. They were inseparable, regularly holding group studies where each would take turns playing the role of a teacher, checking attendance and reviewing lessons.

Life went on this way until one of them was recommended for a judge's post in the 16th BJS (Bangladesh Judicial Service) examination. While the group study continued, a slight void grew in the room following the first friend's success.

However, the other two did not give up, despite failing twice in a row. Finally, in the recently published 18th BJS examination, both friends were recommended for the position of Assistant Judge. Now, all three of them have stepped onto the path of becoming judges.

This is the story of three students from the 2017-18 academic session of Islamic University's Law Department, who also shared room 422 at the university's Saddam Hossain Hall.

The first friend to be recommended as a judge in the 16th BJS exam was Arif Hossain. The other two, Md. Anwar Hossain and Shakir Alam, were recommended in the most recently published 18th BJS exam. The dreams and struggles of these three classmates were intricately woven together in room 422 of Saddam Hossain Hall.

Reflecting on his success, Arif Hossain, the first among the three to achieve his goal, said, "Alhamdulillah, I am grateful to the Almighty for honoring us three friends in this way. Best wishes and love to everyone."

Shakir Alam, who was recommended in the latest 18th BJS exam, said, "First of all, endless gratitude to the Almighty for bringing me to this position. I did not give up even after failing twice in a row. I succeeded on my third attempt. My family and society contributed by encouraging me in this regard. At the same time, I was inspired by seeing our seniors from the university achieve success. My greatest happiness is that the three of us from room 422 of Saddam Hossain Hall have all become judges."

They mentioned that room 422 was the central hub for their studies and mutual support. Late-night study sessions, group discussions and an indomitable desire to achieve their goals served as the driving force behind their collective success. After the first friend became a judge, the competitive spirit between the remaining two grew even stronger.

Professor Halima Khatun, Chairperson of the Law Department, said, "Our department performs well in the judiciary every year. This time, they have done even better. I hope this trend continues. We will work to strengthen the foundation of those who wish to pursue the judiciary as a profession, starting from providing guidelines. The judiciary is a noble profession. I wish for the continued success of our department. On the other hand, three roommates have achieved the glory of becoming judges. They have achieved enviable success. They will remain an inspiration for our students."

The final results of the 18th Judicial Service (BJS) examination were published on 23 September. According to the latest information, 14 students from the Law Department, four from the Law and Land Administration Department and one from Al-Fiqh and Legal Studies at Islamic University have been recommended for the position of Assistant Judge.

The author is a student at Islamic University.