Beacon for children's education

Children of a remote village in Aditmari upazila under the district are getting quality lessons along with moral education, thanks to the benevolent service of a spiritually devoted couple.

Jahangir Alam, 40, locally known as Sadhok (saint) Pagla Jahangir, son of Nurul Amin and Jahanara Begum, established Kadamchand Bidyapith at Durakuti village of Saptibari union in Aditmari upazila for imparting basic education to the rural children in October 2002, starting with a school dropout.

Now the learning centre arranges lessons for over a hundred children, who are also regular students of different primary schools in the area.

They attend classes at Kadamchand Bidyapith before or after their regular school hours, in the morning and afternoon.

Jahangir Alam imparts lessons to children at Kadamchand Bidyapith founded by him at Durakuti village in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat; Photo: Star

Inspired by the spiritual pursuit and selfless service of Jahangir, Shirina Akhter Sathi married him on May 22 in 2014, and thereafter she too got engaged in educating the village children.

Jahangir believes in Sufism and he is a devotee of great twelfth century saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

"Seeing that most of the village children were deprived of the light of education I took the initiative for their basic learning, and gradually the guardians became more and more interested in the matter. Now cent percent children in the village are studying," said Jahangir.

"I feel happy and get peace of mind while teaching the children. I feel as if I am their mother," said Shirina.

"Along with textual lessons, we give them advice on how to grow up as ideal people," she added.

Set up on a 40-decimal land, Kadamchand Bidyapith comprises classroom, a prayer room and a small house and there are a Shaheed Minar and a flower garden on its premises.

"I have donated all my assets for Kadamchand Bidyapith, and now I and my wife live at the house on its compound. Devotees provide us meal," said Jahangir.

Locals also provide donations for the school.

The schoolhouse and its premises. Photo: Star

Before establishing Kadamchand Bidyapith, No 1 Durakuti Government Primary School at the village had only a small number of students, but now the school has gained reputation as a very good school in Aditmari upazila, locals said.

"Our children are getting ideal teaching in Kadamchand Bidyapith, and they are doing good results in school examinations. And we don't have to pay anything to the couple for the purpose," said Anwar Hossain, 45, a student's guardian at the village.

Now there is no primary school dropout at the village and it is the contribution of Jahangir and his spouse, said Abdul Mannan, headmaster of No 1 Durakuti Government Primary School.

Local union parishad Chairman Rafiqul Islam Alam echoed the same.