The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Bangladesh has obtained the fourth position in the Fifth International Hifz Competition 2008 held in Tripoli, the capital city of Libya from September 12 to September 17.

Md Faysal Ahmed, 14, a Quran-e-Hafez, has brought a rare honour for the country by obtaining 93.5 per cent mark.

In the competition, Yemen has secured the first position while Lebanon and Belgium the second and the third position respectively.

Faysal Ahmed, who has succeeded to become a hafez when he was only eight years old, got a certificate and US$ 8,000 in cash as award.

Earlier in 2005, he secured the second position in such an International Hifz Competition in Saudi Arabia among 86 countries.

The Libyan Government organises the competition each year. A total of 56 countries took part in the competition this year.

Faysal was taken to Tripoli on September 11 by his teacher Hafez Salamatullah, as guardian and brought back home on September 18 after completion of the mega event.

Talking to The New Nation, Faysal expressed his gratitude to the almighty Allah for his success. He said, along with parents, his grandmother Maulana Zobaida Haque, aunt Hafeza Saleha Sultana and uncle Maulana Hossain Ahmed, an imam of a mosque in Qatar inspired him to achieve the success.

Faysal, who has qualified for taking part in the competition through selection by the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh, is a student of Baitur Rasul Tahfizul Quran Institute at Kajla, Jatrabari in the city.

Hafez Salamatullah, a teacher of Baitur Rasul Tahfizul Quran Institute, told The New Nation that they had to face troubles at Zia International Airport (ZIA) in Dhaka during their departure.

"The immigration officials were creating obstacles to give clearance for us," he alleged.

Expressing his gratitude to the Libyan Ambassador to Bangladesh Ahmed A.H. Elimam for his cooperation to visit Tripoli. Salamatullah said, "Without his help, the visit could not be successful." The Ambassador personally dealt with the whole affair at ZIA, he said.

He also alleged that they did not get any cooperation from Bangladesh Ambassador to Libya during their stay in Tripoli. "The Ambassador even did not talk to us," he added.

Hafez Salamatullah said so far about 200 students have become hafez from Baitur Rasul Tahfizul Quran Institute. Now, 80 students are studying in this madrasha, he added.

Faysal told that he had got a number of awards and prizes by taking part in hifz competitions at national and local levels.

Faysal is the eldest son of his parents. His father Abdul Hafiz is a businessman while mother Parvin Akhter is a housewife. Faysal's two brothers and only sister are also studying hifz. He sought blessings of all.