55-year-old Belayet gets chance to study journalism in Varendra University

The 55-year-old Belayet Hossain, who tried to get admitted to Dhaka University, has now got a chance at Varendra University in Rajshahi.

Belayet, the father of three children, qualified for the private university in the Journalism Department.

The result came out on Monday where he found himself qualified, reports UNB.

Expressing happiness, Belayet said he filed a verbal application to the university authorities to allow him to study free of cost but the university authorities, in reply, assured him of taking some measures so he can study there paying limited money.

Belayet, a resident of Keua Panschim Khando under Sreepur Upazila of Gazipur has proved once again that age should be no barrier to attaining any kind of goal or success in life: at this age.

Belayet passed his Higher Secondary Examination (HSC) this year and is currently attending a university coaching centre.

To make his dream come true, he appeared the admission test of the ‘Gha’ unit on June 29, under Social Science Faculty to try and gain admission to the Department of Mass Communication of Journalism.

But unfortunately, he failed to succeed in it due to many barriers.

Without formal qualifications, Belayet has been working as the Sreepur correspondent for Daily Karatoa. Now he wants to flourish his journalism career by adding first an undergraduate and then hopefully a post-graduate degree in journalism to his resume.

Belayet said he had prepared himself for Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in 1983. However, he couldn’t sit the exam eventually due to poverty. He prepared for the SSC exam again in 1988 but the floods that year put paid to his hopes of sitting the exam. Later, he got a chance to start his career as a photojournalist.

In his personal life, he is the father of two sons and one daughter. However, his children have not shown much interest in continuing their studies. Unable to have his dreams of education fulfilled through them, Belayet at one point decided to hit the books himself.

In 2019, he passed Dakhil (equivalent to SCC) from a madrasah and then the HSC in 2021 under Technical Education Board.

His educational journey has obviously not been a straightforward one. He has endured ridicule from relatives and villagers. But Belayet paid them no heed.