Nurul Karim, a former lecturer at Nilphamari Government College dedicated 12 years to offering free university admission coaching to underprivileged students also helping hundreds gain seats at top public institutions.
Born in a impoverished village in Hizla, Barishal, Nurul Karim was inspired by his own primary school teachers who coached him for free. Though he originally aimed for the BCS general administration cadre and his assignment to the education cadre led him to Nilphamari. In 2012, after tutoring a local student who later became a police sergeant, Nurul Karim decided to provide free after-class tutoring to aspiring students while living solely on his government salary.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nurul Karim kept lessons going by teaching in open yards, rooftops and fields a setup known locally as "Uthan Pathshala" (Courtyard School). His program as titled "Dream to DU" primarily served humanities students.
An average of 50 of his students gained admission to public universities each year with 12 to 13 entering Dhaka University annually. In 2023 alone, over 60 of his students secured public university seats. Notable alumni include Md. Faridul who topped the Rajshahi University 'A' unit admission test in 2021.
Beyond coaching, Nurul Karim persuaded financially struggling high schoolers not to drop out and connected needy students with local officials and donors to fund their higher education. Despite facing pushback and transfer threats from college administrators concerned about his popularity, Karim continued his mission without charging any fees.
Though his informal initiative has been on hold for the past year following his transfer to the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, Nurul Karim has received no official awards and seeks no commercial setup. For him, giving remote students the confidence to succeed remains its own reward.
