Imagine a 12-year-old girl who’s constantly struggling with her studies. Her imagination runs wild with stories as she gets constantly bullied in school. Even later in university, the girl finds herself to be a below-par student with not much enthusiasm for academics.  While one would assume that it’s a dead end for a career, we’re of course talking about J.K. Rowling, the beloved creator of Harry Potter.  There are tons of examples of backbenchers succeeding in life, sometimes more than the toppers. What might be the reason behind that? Let’s explore.  Leading Through Example: The Successful Backbenchers  The list of successful backbenchers is surprisingly long. It's undeniable that many successful persons in today’s world had been bad students at some point in their lives. Consider the case of Virgin’s Richard Branson, Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Apple’s Steve Jobs. All of them reached the pinnacle of success in respective career paths even if they have histories of being dropouts in educational lives.  Read more: What to Wear for a Job Interview There are even presidential candidates like Al Gore who weren’t particularly excelling in studies. Movie stars like Drew Barrymore, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Cameron Diaz have been outspoken about their rather lackluster academics. It’s not difficult to find backbenchers who succeeded in life. The question is, why are they successful? What sets them apart from the toppers? The short answer is not being bound by the constraints of conformity. Backbenchers often have the freedom of not having to conform to societal expectations. They can take different routes, risks and even explore ideas that a topper usually won’t. While these risks and off-the-beaten-path approach paid off for many, it’s not always guaranteed to succeed.  Why are Backbenchers so Successful?  The entire idea that backbenchers are surprisingly successful comes down to a few points. Some of these are character traits, some are behavioral and some are situations surrounding the individual. Out-of-the-Box Thinking  Believe it or not, the traditional education system based on learning and assessment dates back to the Industrial Revolution. The Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest somehow got incorporated in the education system as well which made it less about learning, and more about staying ahead in everything.  Read more: 10 Best Programming Languages for 2024 This is where backbenchers are different. For them, classroom learning and grades aren’t everything. They might explore a variety of interests, which can lead to a more diverse skill set. This broader perspective can be advantageous in professions that require a holistic understanding of different disciplines. It can also contribute to a more well-rounded and adaptable individual.

Did it ever happen to you that after listening to any hour-long lecture in a workshop or classroom you can’t remember anything? Though you were physically present at that place, your mind was not there. What’s missing here was focus.   Focus – a little word with a huge impact! It's like the superhero of thinking, connecting to decisions, problem-solving, learning, memory, and how we see the world. If the focus game isn't strong, it can put a damper on thinking skills. Mastering the art of focusing is a game-changer. Focus can be used like a spotlight to direct the flow of energy. Harnessing the power of focus is key to success in life.  What is Focus? Focus is like a superpower that helps you to fully concentrate into one specific task and ignore the noise and happenings around.  Some folks call it "flow," a term made cool by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.” It's that feeling of being in the zone, where your mind is so absorbed that you forget about everything else – time, space, and anything other than the task at hand. For instance, with focus, you can enjoy a novel amid the huge chaos of a railway station. Read more: How to Utilise the Power of Visualisation to Achieve Goals Focus lets someone immerse themselves completely in one thing, without allowing mental distractions. It's like a mental power boost, concentrating all brain energy on one awesome task. Focus is the secret sauce to becoming the superhero of concentration! You can think of focus as a muscle for your mind. Like any other muscle, you can train it. So, if you want to boost your focus game, treat it like a workout – flex that mental muscle regularly. What is Attention Muscle? The attention muscle is like the brain's personal trainer for focus. It's all about the ability to direct and keep your awareness on a task, even when distractions come knocking. If you don't intentionally work it out, this attention muscle doesn't get stronger – and that's when the mind becomes a bit of a scatterbrain. An under-exercised attention muscle leads to a twitchy, agitated mind that can't catch a break, constantly hopping from one distraction to another. It's like trying to herd cats. Read more: Students with Depression: Tips for Parents and Educators Most people don't realize how feeble their attention muscle is until they actually need to buckle down and focus. Without proper training and development, sustained focus becomes a bit like trying to juggle too many balls at once – nearly impossible! So, if you want to avoid mental acrobatics, it's time to hit the mental gym and give that attention muscle a good workout.

The Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday gave the necessary directives to the field-level administration to make a success of two upcoming food security-related programs, including the open market sale (OMS) of rice. The OMS of rice starts Thursday, September 1. The directives were given via video conference held with PMO senior secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah in the chair, said PM’s Assistant Press Secretary Emrul Kayas. Read: Bangladesh now holds highest-ever food stock: Minister The meeting discussed the implementation of the food security programs, and coordination between the OMS and the program of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). The government will start the OMS of rice at Tk 15 per kg from September 1 (Thursday) for over 5 million (50 lakh 10 thousand 509) listed families through its dealers across the country. Each listed member will be able to purchase a maximum 30kg of rice at Tk 15 per kg. Unlisted consumers can purchase a maximum of 5 kg rice at Tk 30 per kg from 2,363 centres throughout the country from September 1. Similarly, 10 million TCB card holders will get the scope to buy 5 kg at Tk 30 per kg every 15 days from the dealers. The senior secretary of the Commerce Ministry and the secretary to the Food Ministry were also present virtually at the meeting, said an official of the PMO.

Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia and Public Diplomacy,  has said the Americans want to be a part of the success story of Bangladesh that is becoming an economic power house. Ambassador Kelly Keiderling highly appreciated the tremendous socioeconomic development Bangladesh has achieved in the span of a generation.   Millions of Bangladeshis came out of the poverty and the country now has entered into the middle income category, she added. The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, D.C. celebrated the Bangla Naboborsho (Bengali New Year) -1429 and Eid reunion on Friday with much enthusiasm and fanfare, said the Embassy in a message on Sunday.  Kelly joined the event as the guest of honour. Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA M. Shahidul Islam delivered the welcome remarks. Diplomats from South Asian countries, officials of the US Government and State Department and a large number of guests from Bangladesh Diaspora also attended the joyful event. READ: Highlight Bangladesh's success stories: FM to media Bangladesh Ambassador Shahidul Islam narrated illustrious history of Bangla New Year celebration and said Pahela Baishakh is an integral part of Bengali culture and tradition, and the most universal festival of the nation. On the other hand, he said, Eid-ul-Fitr is the largest religious festival for the Muslim majority population, reminding them of the virtues of self-purification, compassion and charity. He noted that these two festivals are to celebrate the foundational values of the War of Independence, where people from all religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds would live in peace and harmony, as envisioned by our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Ambassador Islam said Bangabandhu's daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has remained steadfast to uphold the secular and progressive ethos of the Bengali society, and her party Awami League has been a constant bulwark against the religious extremism in the society. The key attraction of the program was a spectacular cultural show which highlighted some distinct aspects of celebration of Bangla New Year and Eid-ul-Fitr. Four US State Department Officers recited poems and rhymes in Bangla in the cultural function which ended with performing of songs by noted Bangladeshi singer Anila Chowdhury. As part of the celebration, a "Mangal Shobhajatra"  was brought out from the chancery premises. The traditional procession ended at the same place after parading the nearby street of the Embassy.  Traditional Bangladeshi food items were served at the end of the programme which was highly appreciated by the foreign guests.

For Md Asif Ali, it has been a saga of loss, sadness and success. Asif, undaunted by extreme poverty caused by his father’s desertion and then the death of the grandfather, has pursued his dream of higher studies. Today, he has turned from a vegetable seller to a student of Jagannath University thanks to his determination and had work. Talking to UNB this week Asif narrated how the wonder happened and how the humble boy from Swarupnagar village in Puthia Upazila of Rajshahi made it to a premier university of the country. Asif was in class three when his wife-beating father left home one day leaving his grandfather as the only breadwinner of the family. By breaking bricks the old man somehow managed to feed the family. But life had more miseries planned for Asif as his grandfather died two years later. Then a student of class five, Asif learned to endure the horrific pain of hunger when his mother couldn’t earn the daily meal for the family even after buying a goat with borrowed money. “My grandmother tried to help by working in other people’s vegetable fields but what she got at the end of the day was not even enough for one meal,” said Asif. By the time Asif was in class six, he got a job in a hotel on condition of free meals and Tk 5 to 10 per day as wages. “We could buy 30 kg of rice per month with Tk 300 through the government's VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) card but still didn’t have enough to buy something to eat with the rice. There were days we had only a pinch of salt with rice, unable to buy vegetables.” Asif recalled the days when he used to stand for hours in front of the neighbours, houses in hope they would offer him something good to eat. While in class seven he started working at a distant uncle’s vegetable shop at Mahendra Bazar. There he had to work for the whole day on Sunday and Wednesday, the two busiest days of Bazar by dodging classes. “I accepted the condition as for those two days they paid me Tk 100 and some vegetables to take home for the family. My mother used to run the family through my earnings and rearing goats,” said Asif. Every morning a Rajshahi University bus used to stop for the students at Mahendra Bazar. Seeing the respect and honour they got as university students from the locals, teenaged Asif’ was moved. In 2018, for the first time Asif crossed the 2.1 km path from where he worked to the Rajshahi University to visit the campus to watch the celebration “Pahela Baishakh.” Mesmerised by everything he saw on the campus Asif’s daydream of getting higher education turned into a strong determination. That year Asif passed SSC exam from Bharuapara High School obtaining GPA 4.89 and with scholarship ranking 251 in Rajshahi Education Board. He also got a chance at Rajshahi University School and College situated in Rajshahi University. At that turning point of his life Asif remembered gratefully how his shop owner uncle, a lady teacher of the high school, his maternal uncle and a local brother made sure he got admitted by managing the fees and uniform for him. “From there I started nurturing my dream and learned there is no alternative to studies for me. On the two weekdays I used to work in others’ fields,” he said. Also read: Farming pigeons brings Afzal a fortune

The United States-based advocacy group ‘Global Peace Chain’ has appointed young Bangladeshi lawyer Advocate Tasmiah Nuhiya Ahmed as its Country Director for Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (Bari) has successfully produced bulbs of Lilium, a charming flower which usually grows in colder countries, opening the possibility of its commercial cultivation in Bangladesh.

The 2018 release of the Netflix teen rom-com "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," changed the lives of its stars, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, by putting them on Hollywood's radar.