A triumph despite political gloom

Emotions ran high inside Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in the capital's Mirpur yesterday as names of the awardees were being announced at The Daily Star 16th O and A Level Award Presentation Ceremony for the academic session of June 2013 - June 2014.

While boisterous applause and cheers rang through the ground floor teeming with the achievers and their teachers, the feeling up in the gallery, where the parents sat, were way deeper.

Though words could barely describe the sense of accomplishment that filled their elated hearts, we attempt to give our readers some idea about it through the words of parents, teachers and the students themselves.

SHAH HABIBUR RAHMAN

"I cannot explain how happy I felt when Habib gave his speech," said Hasina Kadir, mother of Shah Habibur Rahman who obtained over 90 percent marks in five out of the six subjects he took in his A-Level examinations in May-June 2014.

As a top achiever, Habib gave one of the two valedictorian speeches at the programme.

"I used to work at a government primary school," said Hasina. "But after he got admitted to Manarat (International School and College) in 2000, I left the job."

"I felt that my first priority was my children's education and my lawyer husband supported the decision," Hasina said. She now feels her decision paid off.

Habib, who recently became champion at a national Biology Olympiad and would soon fly to China to participate in the Asian Physics Olympiad, wants to study Physics at one of the best universities and become a physicist.

MAHIN AR RAHMAN

Having scored 90 percent plus marks in 11 O-Level subjects in January 2014 exams, Mahin AR Rahman perhaps couldn't say more to thank his family and teachers for their contribution to his success.

"My father is the soul and my mother is my body. Without either, I am either a defunct body or a living ghost," the student of Mastermind School told The Daily Star after receiving the award for his academic excellence.

Though he would once dream of becoming a pilot, Mahin now wants to be an engineer to follow his father's footsteps, but only to go farther. "I want to surpass my civil engineer father through my work ... and make him proud."

He also plans to go abroad for higher studies and return home later to work for his country.

RAKIB AL MAHDI

Unlike his peers, Rakib Al Mahdi, who received the world's highest mark in Biology in the A-Level examinations in January 2014, took admission at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).

"I am studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) at Buet because Bio-Medical Engineering, which I want to pursue in future, is a branch of EEE," said the former student of Dhanmondi Tutorial.

Having scored 591 marks out of total 600, Rakib is one of the 19 A-Level students who scored the world's highest marks in different subjects during the June 2013 - June 2014 academic sessions.

SANJIDA ALI

Sajida Ali achieved the world-highest mark in Bangladesh Studies in her O-Level examinations she took in June 2014 from Bangladesh International Tutorial.

She scored 100 out of 120 in the subject along with seven A*s and two A's. Sanjida is among the 27 students from Bangladesh who obtained the globally highest mark in different O-Level subjects.

"I would like to be a doctor in Bangladesh and launch an NGO to help the poor and make my parents and my country proud," she said.

PROMIT ALLEN GOMES

With a natural knack for painting and drawing, Promit Allen Gomes of SFX Greenherald International School did not even practice for his Arts examination last June.

"I had gone to the movies with my friends even the day before the exam," he said, still finding it hard to believe that he had scored 99/100, the world's highest, in the O-Level Cambridge examination, in which he painted three pictures -- a shell, a shoe and a dawn landscape.

Thanking his teachers, Promit said though he actually wanted to be an economist, painting would always have a special place in his life.

MD FAISAL ALAM

The high achievers not only make their parents proud but also bring glory to their institutions.

Having secured the highest mark in English Language and Literature in Bangladesh, Md Faisal Alam had set an example for his fellow students of Dhaka International School.

"We are very happy and proud," said Principal Md Aminul Islam of the newly established school. "We feel encouraged and plan to train teachers so that the number of achievers from our school increases in the coming years."

Though the current political unrest is severely hurting education, they would work hard to emerge as one of the country's best schools in near future, he said.

Faisal said despite limited resources and books on English Literature and Language, his achievement had been possible only because his teachers were there for him even after class hours.