DHAKA, April 20, 2026 (BSS) - Professor Dr. Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain was born on December 25 in 1960 at Gafargaon Upazila of Mymensingh district. His ancestral home was at Motihara village of Nawabganj Upazila of Dinajpur district.  His father late Md Zafar Ali Sarkar was an eminent educationist and philanthropist. He founded various schools and colleges and served as Headmaster and Principal of those institutions during the time of establishment. His mother Begum Zebun Nesa was a dedicated teacher.  Professor Dr. Zahid Hossain completed his secondary education from Kawraid KN High School and his higher secondary education from Ananda Mohan College of Mymensingh. In 1983, he obtained his MBBS degree from Mymensingh Medical College. Later, he acquired FCPS degree from Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) in 1997, MS in Urology from Dhaka University in 2000, FCPS from College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan in 2004 and FRCP Fellowship from Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, UK in 2006. He is a renowned urologist recognized at home and abroad. He joined the BCS (Health) cadre in 1983 and contributed to medicine, education and research with dedication for a long time.  Professionally, he is a professor of Urology. He was the elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Dhaka (twice), elected Councillor and Honorary Secretary of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (twice), elected member of the Senate of Dhaka University, member of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, Vice Chairman of Bangladesh Medical Research Council.  He was a member of the editorial board of Bangladesh Medical Journal, Urology Journal of Bangladesh and Journal of BCPS. He was the founding Secretary General of the SAARC Medical Association, a member of the Board of Trustees of the ICDDR,B. He played an important role as the elected Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) twice. Internationally, he has served as a Councillor of Asian Urology Society, Urological Association of Asia, World Medical Association, Commonwealth Medical Association and a member of American, European and Indian Urological Associations. He started his political career through student politics as a member of Jatiyatabdi Chhatra Dal in 1979. After joining the government service, he became active in professional politics. He played an important organizer role in all the movements to restore democracy, starting from the anti-dictatorship movement of 1990 to the 17-year anti-fascist movement.  Since 1989, he has been associated with the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and served as its Member Secretary and elected Secretary General four times from 1998 to 2019. He was a founding member of the Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, Shata Nagorik Committee, Jatiyatabadi Nagorik Oikya. He was the Member Secretary of the Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad since 2005 and later became the convener of the council in 2022. In 2009, he was appointed as the Advisor to the Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). In 2016, he was elected as the Central Vice Chairman through the party council. In August 2024, he was nominated as a member of the National Standing Committee, the highest policy-making forum of BNP. He was entrusted with the responsibility of organizational restructuring in more than 50 districts through the BNP Chairperson and then Acting Chairman.  Forty-eight cases were filed against him in the last 18 years for political reasons. He was imprisoned three times - May 9 to December 9 of 2009, March 2011, 11 March 2013 to 7 June 2013, yet he did not deviate from the path of ideals and justice.  

RAJSHAHI, April 20, 2026 (BSS) - A total of 177,709 candidates from 2,709 educational institutions will appear in this year's Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations under the Rajshahi Education Board, scheduled to be held at 274 centres across eight districts from tomorrow.   The board has already completed all necessary preparations to conduct the examinations smoothly.   According to official sources, among the total candidates, 93,174 are male and 85,535 are female. Of them, 146,542 are regular candidates, while 31,019 are irregular candidates and 148 are grade improvement candidates.   In terms of group-wise distribution, 92,967 students are from the Science group, 79,804 from Humanities, and 4,897 from Business Studies.   Assistant Exam Controller (Confidential) of the Rajshahi Education Board Jahirul Haque told BSS that all preparations for the SSC examinations have been completed.   He said CCTV cameras were installed in every examination room at all centres this year to ensure transparency and prevent unfair means.   Alongside the board's vigilance teams, local administration at district and upazila levels will also supervise the examinations to maintain a peaceful and cheating-free environment. Question papers have already been distributed to the offices of concerned deputy commissioners.   Exam Controller Professor Ariful Islam said Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon gave necessary instructions in a meeting with centre secretaries ahead of the exams.   Following those directives, the board is prepared to conduct the SSC examinations in a fair and cheating-free manner with strict monitoring, including CCTV coverage in every room, he added.