Rakibul Islam yearns for the day he graduates from a reputed institution, although it once seemed like a far-cry as the costs of education were a burden to his family.

He recalled his past struggle, at a scholarship-award giving ceremony by Shahjalal Islami Bank yesterday, standing in front of hundreds of students like him, policymakers and bankers.

It was uncertain whether he could even complete his schooling as his father passed away early and his mother struggled to make ends meet. But his mother never compromised on her son's education. He is now a first-year student at Government Edward College in Pabna. Rakibul Islam was awarded a scholarship of Tk 25,000 by the bank. 

“The scholarship is motivation for the needy but talented students,” he said. “It is a great initiative by the bank.”

The bank awarded scholarships worth Tk 1.1 crore to 500 meritorious and financially-insolvent students, who passed SSC and HSC in 2013 across the country, at yesterday's programme.

A total of 5,000 students had applied for the scholarship.

Each student received a onetime payment of Tk 20,000 at the SSC level and Tk 25,000 for HSC level.