TheSite

By Mirza Mosaraf Hossain, The Site

Sahina Khatun has never let any adversity affect her dreams. She was born into a poor family, but she did not give up and continued to study hard. She was born with a disability which reduced the vision in one of her eyes, but even then she did not give up. No wonder, when this brilliant student from Laghosha village, located in the Labpur block of West Bengal’s Birbhum district cleared state civil services, the locals were jubilant, but not surprised. 

Sahina was elected as the land revenue officer under the Department of Panchayats & Rural Development through the West Bengal Civil Services Examinations (executive) (WBCS), held in 2018. She is among 94 candidates selected under Group C of the State civil services examinations for six distinct departments. 

This groundbreaking achievement of hers is very inspiring to her family and by large to the minority community. 

Sahina's father, Mohammad Mortuza, farms his small plot of land in the village and has a family of six with four children and his wife. Having graduated in Commerce stream, he taught his son B-Tech, got his elder daughter married, sent Sahina to Kolkata to prepare for the Civil Services Exam, and has enrolled his youngest daughter in college. Speaking with The Site, he said, “My daughter's success has brought a wave of happiness to my family. The dream that I showed to Sahina from her childhood has come true. Sahina has fulfilled my dream. I am proud of her success.”

Sahina adds, "My father encouraged me to dream of becoming a civil servant from an early age. I also made my father's dream a goal of my life and so, after my bachelor's degree, I went to Kolkata to prepare for the civil services. I am overjoyed to be able to fulfil my father's dream."

Sahina added that her mother, elder brother, elder sister, sister, and especially the teachers have always been by her side, reassuring about her impending success. 

Between 2016 and 2018, Samina took coaching at the residential study centre provided by Aliah University, and after passing the WBCS Preliminary in 2018; she went to the coaching centre run by Al-Amin Mission for the main exam to prepare thoroughly. 

She got elected after the results of the 2017 WBCS examination group ‘D’ were published. She joined the Nanur block of Birbhum in May 2020 as Inspector of Co-operative Societies under the group D section. However, she will join the new post as soon as the process of joining the new post as a Land Revenue Officer is over.  

In her message to girls who face similar issues like her, Sahina said, “Don't be discouraged. We have to be patient and keep ourselves fully engaged with perseverance. InshaAllah, success will be yours.”