BUET Vehementers

“So a year ago, we went to visit the Nafakhum waterfall. On the way there, our guide lost his way. It was almost night, we were stuck in the middle of nowhere, and there was no network on any of our phones. Our exciting tour abruptly turned into a life-threatening nightmare. It was completely dark, our guide kept saying vague things, and the fear for our lives kept increasing by the minute. When almost two hours had passed and we still didn’t find our way, the possibility of this being the last day of my life really dawned on me. I mean the guide might be leading us to a group of marauders all along. Maybe they’ll kill us all and take all our things, who knows! I kept thinking of all the things I’ve always thought of doing but never did. All the skills I didn’t learn, all the books I haven’t read, and most of all, all the things I haven’t said to all the people I loved. I kept thinking of how wonderful my life was back here, all the choices I always had. To make connections, to have fun. Then suddenly, our guide started smiling. He found the way. There were no marauders after all. But those two hours indelibly altered my perspective on life. Every moment after that felt like one I might not have had the privilege of experiencing. I enjoyed that tour much more than my prior self would’ve. Now I make an effort to appreciate my life far more than my prior self did.”

I’m Jakaria, and this is my story, a tale of grit, sacrifice, and a burning desire to change my family’s fate. I come from Chorkadai, a remote village in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, where no one had ever made it to BUET before. This year, I became the first, securing 383rd position in the BUET admission test and earning a spot in the highly competitive Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) Department. It wasn’t easy, but every struggle was worth it.

Growing up, life was tough. My father, a farmer with no land of his own, toiled on others’ fields to feed our large family. We were always stretched thin—too many mouths, too little money. My elder sisters had to drop out of school early to help at home. My elder brother often joined my father, working in far-off districts like Faridpur or Tangail, where farm labor paid a bit more. Even though My family was poor, they always told me to dream big, I saw their sacrifices and knew I couldn’t let them go to waste. From a young age, I decided I wouldn’t compare myself to kids with fancy schools or private tutors. I wanted to be unique, to make something of myself.

School was my escape. I studied at Beltola High School, a simple place in our rural area. When I got to Shahjadpur Government College, I faced new challenges. Our home was small and noisy, not a place where I could focus. So, I stayed at a mess and threw myself into studying. But money was always tight. We didn’t even have a phone for online classes until 2022, when my brother’s scholarship and an uncle’s help got us one. That phone became my lifeline. I’d search YouTube for stories of people who beat poverty to succeed—those videos kept me going. I also found free classes of best teachers, which helped me master physics, math, and chemistry.

I did well in my SSC exams, but I couldn’t afford a top college. Instead, I stayed local and leaned on self-study. To cover my mess fees of 4,000 Tk a month, I tutored younger kids, earning about 3,000 Tk. That wasn’t enough, so I’d skip meals or avoid buying good notebooks to save every taka. I’d write on cheap paper, solving old test papers I got from second-hand bookstores. My family stepped up in ways I’ll never forget. My brother saved money from his labor jobs to enroll me in the Engineering Course of a top edtech platform. For my sister’s wedding, we sold some land of our aunt, and I used part of that money for my course fees for offline exam of an established coaching center where most of my batchmates gave exams. I was determined not to let their sacrifices go to waste.

Studying became my obsession. I’d spend 12–13 hours a day on classes, even during tough times like the July movement. I had no private tutors, so I taught myself to tackle math problems alone, even when I got stuck. Wrestling with problems on my own sharpened my skills.

The admission season was brutal. Application fees and travel costs were more than I could handle. I could only afford to apply for three exams: BUET, KUET and Dhaka University. Traveling to exam centers meant standing on trains to save money, sometimes hiding my embarrassment when friends saw me. I stayed in hostels arranged by acquaintances since I had no family in cities like Dhaka or Khulna. The night before exams, I barely slept, maybe two or three hours—my mind racing with worry. On top of that, my father fell gravely ill with tuberculosis. I’d sit at my study table, crying, praying for his health and my success. I set photos of my parents as my phone wallpaper; their faces motivated me to keep going.

When the BUET results day came, I was very nervous. Rumors swirled about when they’d be announced. That night, I stayed up past 9 p.m., refreshing my phone, which was down to 2% battery. The network was terrible, and I struggled to open the PDF. At first, I couldn’t find my name on the merit list and thought I’d failed. My heart sank. I told my mother, and we both felt crushed. Then I messaged a friend who’d ranked around 1300, which gave me hope—we were at similar levels. I reached out to a senior, gave him my roll number, and he checked. “You’re 383, and you got EEE,” he said. I couldn’t believe it. EEE? Me? I never dared dream that big. I just wanted to make it to the waiting list.

I ran to my mother, hugged her, and cried. I kissed my father’s forehead, and he wept too. The whole house buzzed with joy—we told everyone. My family, who’d been through so much, saw hope for the first time. They believed I could lift us out of poverty.

To my juniors, here’s what I’ve learned: embrace the struggle—it’s part of the journey. Don’t compare yourself to others with better colleges or more resources. Give yourself time at the study table. Self-study is your greatest weapon. Read your textbooks thoroughly, stay disciplined, and avoid distractions like social media. If you’re starting college, get serious from day one. Use free YouTube classes or any course you can access to build your skills. And most importantly, let the weight of your family’s hopes drive you. That feeling—that you’re their future—will keep you focused.

My journey wasn’t just about me. It was about my father’s endless toil, my brother’s sacrifices, my sister’s support, and my mother’s prayers. If I could do it from a village with no roads, no internet, and barely enough to eat, you can too. No obstacle is too big when your will is stronger.