Overcoming profound physical adversity and relentless logistical barriers, Raziya Sultana has successfully completed her master's degree from Rajshahi University, driven by the unwavering support and boundless dedication of her mother, Naznin Begum. Born on November 25, 1999, in the Pathanpara area of Rajshahi, Raziya lost the ability to stand independently by the age of eight as her family could no longer sustain her medical treatments. For years, her mother has carried her up and down the stairs of their three-story residence and across academic campuses, laying the foundation for an academic journey that culminated in her postgraduate completion in 2025.
Raziya's educational path was fraught with immense physical hurdles from the outset. After beginning her primary education near her home, a severe bout of illness forced a temporary hiatus after the fifth grade, before her grandfather's persistent encouragement steered her back to the classroom. She successfully passed her Secondary School Certificate examinations from Rajshahi Multilingual Girls High School in 2016 and her Higher Secondary Certificate from Rajshahi Government Women's College in 2018. Upon securing admission to Rajshahi University for the 2018-19 academic session in the Arabic department, the daily ordeal of navigating upper-floor staircases prompted a departmental transfer to the Bengali department, where she ultimately persevered.
Despite avoiding university stairs following her departmental shift, the domestic struggle inside her family's residence remained relentless, compounded significantly during the monsoon season. During her final examinations, Raziya sustained a leg injury when she slipped from her mother's arms while descending the staircase during a downpour, forcing her to miss that day's exam. Her father, Hafizur Rahman, works as a security guard at a construction firm, while her younger brother is employed at an internet service provider. Compounding the family's daily physical strain, their uncle Aminul Islam, who occupies three ground-floor rooms of the three-story building, has declined proposals to exchange living spaces due to a ground-floor shop, leaving Naznin Begum to continue hauling her daughter up and down the building's steps.
As Raziya embarks on preparations for a professional career, physical barriers continue to restrict her mobility, rendering attendance at traditional coaching centers exceptionally difficult. Furthermore, her aging mother's physical capacity to carry her daily has steadily diminished. Despite these formidable obstacles, Raziya's singular ambition remains focused on securing gainful employment to alleviate the hardships endured by her mother, whose tireless footsteps have literally carried her through life.
