Kajal Pare becomes first from Turi community recommended as judge

Kajal Pare, the son of a landless agricultural worker from a remote village in Chapainawabganj, has been recommended as a civil judge in the 18th Bangladesh Judicial Service examination, becoming the first person from the Turi community to reach the judiciary, according to community representatives.

The 29-year-old from Madhai­pur village in Gomastapur secured 140th place among 200 candidates recommended for appointment as assistant judges.

Kajal, the youngest of four siblings and his parents’ only son, completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in law at Rajshahi University. His success has brought celebrations to his village, where residents had long known of his ambition to become a judge.

His journey, however, was marked by poverty and social and linguistic barriers. Kajal said his education nearly came to a halt at one point because of financial hardship, while his father worked as a labourer to support his studies.

“I faced another challenge at the very beginning of primary school. Everyone spoke Bangla, while I was accustomed to speaking my mother tongue. It took time to overcome that language barrier and understand my teachers,” he said.

His father, Naresh Pare, said he worked in different districts when agricultural work was unavailable at home and even sold cattle to pay for his son’s education.

“We had work for about six months of the year and no work for the rest. I travelled to Narail, Khulna and Faridpur to earn money for his studies,” he said.

Kajal also supported himself by tutoring students while studying at university.

His younger sister recalled that the family once struggled to afford his move to Rajshahi for higher education. Kajal nevertheless insisted on pursuing his studies at Rajshahi University.

Bibhutibhushan Mahato, publicity secretary of the National Indigenous Council’s central committee, said Kajal was the first student from the Turi community to gain admission to a university on merit and the first from the indigenous communities of northern Bangladesh to be recommended for the judiciary.

Kajal’s recommendation has sparked celebrations in Madhai­pur, with neighbours and well-wishers visiting his family to share in the achievement.