At 52, Nilphamari's Shefali Begum passes HSC with GPA 4.21, now aiming for honours
Shefali Begum of Kaliganj village in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari has passed the 2026 HSC examinations at the age of 52, securing a GPA of 4.21. After a long break from education, family responsibilities and many obstacles, her next goal after this success is to pursue higher education.
Shefali Begum said her success came from her own determination, the encouragement of her husband and children, and an unyielding will.
Shefali was married at only one and a half years of age to her cousin Mokchedul Alam. In 1985, while studying in class eight, she moved to her husband's home and her studies stopped. Yet amid household and children, her dream of education never died.
Alongside family duties, she was elected a reserved-seat woman member of the union parishad in 2011 and served two consecutive terms from 2011 to 2021.
In 2020, encouraged by her husband and son, Shefali picked up her books again and enrolled at Gomnati Business Management College in Domar upazila. She passed the SSC in 2023 with a GPA of 4.29, and has now succeeded in the HSC as well.
Shefali said studying alongside running a household was hard, but daily hard work and patience brought her here. After finishing all her work she would sit down to study after 9pm. She had no private tutor and often learned English from her children. She would not notice when the clock passed 1 or 2 in the morning.
She added that she had long wished for a higher degree but could not manage it. She had to leave for her husband's home while in class eight and then focused on family and children, whose success inspired her. In her words, age is just a number; she will continue studying and will now enrol in an honours programme.
Her husband Mokchedul Alam said the family always stood by her, telling her she did not need a great result, just to pass, and helped with daily household work so she could study.
Her eldest son Abdur Razzak said he counts himself among the fortunate children who are so happy at their mother's success that the joy cannot be expressed in words.
