HSC student takes exam 10 hours after father’s burial following night-long duty

Grief-stricken after losing his father, Bagerhat HSC examinee Ekon Daria confronted harsh realities as he performed night duty at an ATM booth and sat for his Higher Secondary Certificate examination just hours after his father’s burial.

Ekon, a Humanities student at Khan Jahan Ali Degree College, works the night shift as a security guard at a Krishi Bank ATM booth in the Rail Road area of the town to help run the family.

Family members said his father, Israfil Daria, 45, fell ill early Tuesday morning. He was taken to Bagerhat 250-bed District Hospital around 6am, where doctors declared him dead. After the funeral prayer, he was buried at the family graveyard in Gopalganj. Ekon returned to his workplace that same night. Following the overnight duty, he appeared for the HSC examination on Islam History and Culture on Wednesday morning.

Israfil Daria used to support the family by driving a motorcycle. After his elder son Imon lost mental balance following a road accident, Ekon became the family’s only earning member. His monthly salary is only 8,000 Taka, with which he bears the responsibility of his mother and mentally unstable elder brother.

Locals said Ekon was often seen studying in the ATM booth during breaks in his night duty. He would attend to customers and then return to his books.

Principal of Khan Jahan Ali Degree College, Hasib Uddin Rakhi, described Ekon as a highly meritorious and hardworking student. He said Ikon’s decision to take the examination despite the profound grief demonstrates his strong mental strength, and the college would provide him with all possible support.