Kurigram, Bangladesh – In Jhagarar Char, a small village under Dantbhanga Union in Roumari upazila of Kurigram, life is shaped by the struggles of riverine isolation. Home to some three thousand people, this remote char has nurtured a story of perseverance that is now inspiring many.

That story belongs to Md. Samiel Sami—once known simply as Samiul.

Born into a poor family, Samiul grew up with his parents, two brothers, and a sister. His father worked at a brick kiln while his mother managed the household. After completing his secondary exams in 2012 from Dantbhanga High School and College in the humanities group, Samiul was forced to abandon his education. Instead of chasing his own dreams, he picked up hammer and chisel to finance the studies of his younger brother, Shamim, a bright student.

To support the family, Samiul worked as a construction laborer in Cumilla’s Chandina, then moved on to a solar company in Netrokona’s Kamlakanda. For years, he traveled across different regions of Bangladesh seeking work. Yet, his own academic dreams remained buried under hardship.

When Shamim, too, abandoned his studies after his SSC exams in 2018 to marry and move to Dhaka, Samiul’s sense of sacrifice felt betrayed. But that same year, now married himself, Samiul resolved to return to education.

Neighbors mocked him for attempting to resume schooling after six years, some even calling him “mad.” Undeterred, he enrolled in class eight at Tapur Char B.G. High School under the new name, Md. Samiel Sami. In 2021, he passed his SSC exams and later cleared HSC from Roumari Government Degree College in 2023.

Despite financial barriers, Samiel prepared for university admission using second-hand books borrowed from a relative at Cumilla University. His determination bore fruit—he ranked 1,145th at Rajshahi University, 314th at Cumilla University, and 2,093rd in the cluster admission tests for general, science, and technology universities. Finally, in 2024, he enrolled in the Department of Public Administration at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR).

Now a father of a two-year-old, Samiel refuses to rest on his achievement. “This is not a big success yet,” he says. “My dream is to complete my studies and become a civil service officer.”

Samiel’s journey is being hailed by many as extraordinary. “It is rare in Bangladesh for someone to return to school after six years and reach university,” said Niyaz Makhdum, a lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at BRUR. “During the Covid-19 lockdown, many students dropped out within a year or two. Compared to that, Samiel’s determination to compete with contemporary students is remarkable. We teachers will support him in every possible way.”

Support has also come from peers. To help ease his financial burden, Jahir Rayhan, a student of the same department and leader of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (BRUR unit), has stepped forward. “It is our moral duty to support dreamers like Samiel bhai,” Jahir said. “His struggle was extremely difficult, but we will stand by him.”

Even amid his academic pursuits, Samiel has not distanced himself from social causes. During the anti-discrimination student movement that swept the country in July, he actively joined protests under the banner of the Anti-Fascist Student Unity at Roumari upazila.

From wielding hammer and chisel at construction sites to holding books and pens in lecture halls, Samiel’s journey embodies resilience against the odds. Poverty may still cast its shadow, but for Samiel, the dream is alive—shining brighter with every page he turns.