An homage to schoolteachers
At the age of three or four, she visited her elder sister’s school one day. When a teacher asked her name, she said Nasima, although that was not her name.
Asked why she did so, she said she read in her sister’s book that “Nasima is a good girl, she goes to school regularly.”
Two years later, when the little girl was enrolled in a school, she was registered as Nasima Akter.
This is how the current head teacher of Mymensingh’s reputed Bidyamoyee Govt Girls High School started her journey of being a good human being.
Now she is loved and respected by hundreds of students, who affectionately call her “mother”.
Yesterday, Nasima and 11 other former and current teachers from primary and secondary schools across the country received “IPDC-Prothom Alo Priyo Shikkhok Sammanona” at a ceremony at InterContinental Dhaka.
They were given the awards, following choice of students and a jury process.
Bangla daily Prothom Alo and private financial institution IPDC Finance Limited jointly took the initiative this year to honour and recognise contribution of teachers.
Nirupa Dewan, a former member of National Human Rights Commission and former head teacher of Rangamati Govt High School, and Mofiz Uddin, headmaster of Ranosinghapur Govt Primary School in Mymensingh, were among the recipients.
Mofiz contributed in developing footballing skills among a group of schoolgirls when he was an assistant teacher at Kalsindur Govt Primary School in Mymensingh. Several of the girls later went on to represent Bangladesh.
Nonagenarian Jagodish Chandra Ghosh, a former teacher of Faridpur High School, received the “lifetime achievement” award at the ceremony.
The other recipients are: Tarapada Das, former teacher of Jashore Shammilani Institution; Abdus Salam, former teacher of Alipur Govt Primary School, Satkhira; Abul Hashem Mia of Tangail Auliabad Mazar Dakhil Madrasa; Asadul Kabir, headmaster of Karapara Saratchandra High School, Bagerhat; Nurul Alam, former headmaster of Shibram Adarsha Govt Primary School, Gaibandha; Shahjahan Kabir, headmaster, Fatehpur KG Bahumukhi High School, Brahmanbaria; Lutfunnesa Khanam, assistant teacher, Jamalkhan Kushumkumari City Corporation Girls’ High School, Chattogram; and Shafiq Ullah, former headmaster, Agrabad Govt Colony High School, Chattogram.
Addressing the ceremony, National Professor Anisuzzaman said, “Teachers are still respected, they are in the students’ heart, and the society is ready to honour them.”
Teachers all over the country were honoured through recognition of the 12 teachers, he said, lauding the initiative.
Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman said the event was one of several initiatives taken by the newspaper.
The event special because through honouring teachers who are shaping minds of young children, the newspaper could do something for them, he said.
IPDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mominul Islam said teachers are some of the best human beings. Such opportunity to honour them is an achievement, he added.
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