PM meets three citizens who changed their communities

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday met three Bangladeshis whose exceptional dedication to education, personal resilience and environmental conservation has transformed their communities, commending their contributions and pledging support for their initiatives.

The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s Office at the Bangladesh Secretariat on the afternoon of 14 October. The three guests were Naila Sharaf, a BUET-trained civil engineer who chose to teach at a primary school; Md Altaf Hossain of Narsingdi, who was born without arms but founded a school; and Rezaul Kibria Babul of Char Fasson in Bhola, who has planted thousands of trees over nearly three decades. Mr Tarique praised their efforts, observing that individual initiatives play a vital role in national development and can inspire others to contribute to society. Notably, Ms Sharaf, who previously worked as an assistant engineer at the Local Government Engineering Department and as an officer at Janata Bank, opted for primary education over more lucrative careers despite passing the 34th Bangladesh Civil Service examination. For the past seven years, she has taught at Panch Ananpur Government Primary School in Purbadhala, Netrokona, devising teaching aids and digital content to make learning more engaging for disadvantaged children.

Mr Hossain, meanwhile, founded Protibha Dukhu Mia Kindergarten School in 2007, financing it with his savings and the proceeds from selling inherited property. He writes and handles administrative work with his feet, and the school now has 145 students and 10 teachers. Impressed by his determination, the prime minister pledged to arrange a modern school building for the institution. Similarly, Mr Babul, a mosque imam, has spent nearly 30 years planting trees at his own expense. After selling inherited property to establish a nursery, he began raising saplings and planting them along roads and in vacant spaces, many of which have since matured into large trees that provide shade and help preserve the local environment.

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Consequently, Mr Tarique encouraged all three to continue their work and promised support from both the government and private individuals. Moreover, he stressed that contributions from people like them could help propel the country’s development.