Jakaria, a determined young man from the remote village of Chorkadai in Sirajganj, has created history by becoming the first person from his village to be admitted into BUET. He secured the 383rd position in the highly competitive Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department, a feat that stands as a testament to his grit and resilience. Born into a landless farmer’s family with scarce financial resources, Jakaria’s childhood was marked by hardship. His father worked tirelessly on other people’s land to provide for their large family, while his elder sisters were forced to leave school early to help at home. His brother, meanwhile, took up physically demanding labor jobs in districts like Faridpur and Tangail to support the family.
Despite these overwhelming odds, Jakaria never let go of his dream. Without access to private tutors or renowned coaching centers, he turned to free online platforms, YouTube tutorials, and old test papers to prepare himself. His journey was made possible by a deeply supportive family—his brother used his earnings from manual labor to pay for an online course, and a portion of his aunt’s land was sold to cover the fees for his coaching exams. Jakaria also tutored younger students over two years to support himself, often skipping meals and enduring discomfort just to save money for his education.
He would study up to 13 hours a day, crammed into a noisy mess room, refusing to let the distractions around him derail his focus. Even when his father fell seriously ill with tuberculosis, Jakaria remained determined to pursue his goal. Limited by financial constraints, he could afford to apply to only three universities—BUET, KUET, and Dhaka University. To attend the entrance exams, he traveled standing in overcrowded trains, quietly concealing his struggles from those around him.
The night BUET published its admission results, Jakaria was battling with a poor internet connection and a phone battery that was about to die. Seeing his name missing from the initial list, he feared the worst. But shortly after, a senior informed him that he had, in fact, been selected—ranked 383rd—and accepted into the EEE department. The news left his entire family in tears of happiness, as years of hardship finally gave way to a moment of triumph.
Jakaria’s journey is more than just an academic success story—it is a powerful example of perseverance, sacrifice, and the unshakable belief in one’s dreams. Today, he aspires to motivate other rural youth to reach for their goals, no matter how unreachable they may seem. His story proves that even from the most modest beginnings, greatness can rise.
