Uncertainty in higher education

At least two admission seekers who have been eligible for enrolling with Dhaka University may not be able to meet the cost of education. Asma Akter from Tentulia, Panchagarh, and Mohammd Siam from Matlab, Chandpur, have secured 368th and 789th position respectively among 10,188 successful candidates out of total 42,954 examinees who appeared in exams for 2,378 seats at faculties of arts and social sciences of the university. Families of both Asma and Siam are not in a position to support them in continuing study, according to a Bangla newspaper report. "The moment of joy for getting chance at the country's premier university disappears once I feel that my family can't bear the costs of education," Asma was quoted to have said. Siam's father, a sharecropper, reportedly said, "I cannot run my family -- how can I give him money for studying at the university?"

These are some of the sad stories on how the children of poor families suffer while trying to take higher education or seeking better opportunities in life. We hope some philanthropists would come up to help Asma and Siam in pursuing their dreams. However, there should be a long-lasting solution to this problem faced by many students. University authorities across the country should offer stipend, research or teaching assistantship or even soft loan so that their families need not regret for their inability to afford higher education to their children.

Atiqul Huq

Motijheel, Dhaka