Kajal of ‘Turi’ community makes history by becoming assistant judge

Kajal Pande, a young man of the ‘Turi’ community from Madhaipur village in Gomostapur upazila of Chapainawabganj, has been recommended as assistant judge by securing the 140th position among 200 in the 18th Bangladesh Judicial Service examination. There had been no government employee in the village for 22 years. By ending that wait he is now set to become a government officer.

This achievement of Kajal is not just the success of a family but also the beginning of a new chapter for Madhaipur village. Because he is going to enter professional life as the first government officer in the history of the village. After the results were published a festive atmosphere has been created around him throughout the village. After returning home from Rajshahi the villagers welcomed him with flower garlands.

Kajal grew up in a family where thinking of higher education itself was difficult. His father Naresh Pande is a landless farmer. Mother Panchami Jeri is a housewife. Due to poverty in the family the education of Kajal’s three sisters did not progress far. But the family used the last of their capacity to continue the education of their only son Kajal.

Kajal started his studies at Madhaipur Government Primary School. Later he completed secondary and higher secondary education from Mission School, Enayetpur High School and Rahanpur Yusuf Ali College. Although he was not successful in the first attempt to get admitted to university, he got the opportunity for admission to Jagannath University and Rajshahi University the next time. Ultimately he chose the law department of Rajshahi University as his destination.

After getting admitted to university Kajal fixed his goal of joining the judiciary. However, fixing the goal did not make the path easy. He did tuition on campus to meet the expenses of studies. He had to continue studies within limited income while meeting his own needs.

On the other hand, father Naresh Pande also had to do various kinds of work to meet the expenses of his son’s education. Sometimes he sold cows, sometimes he worked as a labourer in cash-for-work programmes. He also had to manage the pressure of NGO instalments. In a family of want he fought year after year by giving priority to his son’s education.

After getting admitted to the law department of Rajshahi University in 2017, Kajal had one goal in front of him for the next eight years—joining the judiciary. He did not move away from that goal even amid various uncertainties and frustrations. Ultimately the wait ended after the results of the 18th Bangladesh Judicial Service examination were published.

Kajal Pande said at this moment of success he is remembering the sacrifice of the family the most. The hardship of parents on the path of education, his own hard work and the difficult times helped him hold on to the goal.

Mother Panchami Jeri is emotional at her son’s success. In her words, the son has grown up through many hardships. He has been able to fulfil the dream he had for himself—this is her greatest joy. Father Naresh Pande’s expectation is that in future the son will stand not only by his own family but also by the poor and helpless people.

This achievement of Kajal has also given birth to new hope within his own community. Central publicity secretary of Jatiya Adivasi Parishad Bibhutibhushan Mahato claimed that Kajal is the first person from the Turi community to get admitted to university on the basis of merit. In his words, the creation of opportunity for a young man of the indigenous community of northern Bengal to join the judiciary is of special significance.

Village elder Jaradhan Pande said no one from their community could reach such a place before. So the news of Kajal’s success is not only of joy but also of pride for them.

Village head Niranjan Tirki thinks Kajal’s success will create a new example for the children and adolescents of the village. Local Parbatipur Union Parishad chairman Mozammel Hossen also said the same. In his opinion, Kajal has created an example that even without financial capacity one can reach a big place with merit, perseverance and hard work.

Kajal’s former teacher and freedom fighter Md Sajjad Ali is also proud of his success. In his words, a student from a poor family of a remote village like Madhaipur advancing on the path of becoming a judge is a big achievement for the entire village. The expectation of the local people is that this success of Kajal will make many more students of the village dream of higher education and government jobs in the days to come.