Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has followed up his Man of the Series performance in the ODIs against West Indies with another notable achievement: he has completed his Masters degree in History from Jahangirnagar University. It’s a rare accomplishment for top professional cricketers and Mushfiqur, who was accorded a reception by the university on Sunday, has said he hopes to set an example for his younger team-mates so that their futures are more secure. After finishing school and college from BKSP, he joined the university in 2007 and has now completed an honours and masters. The specialisation in the latter was in contemporary South Asian history, and he finished with an impressive CGPA of 3.49. According to Mushfiqur, it wasn’t a solo effort as his classmates and teachers ensured he didn’t miss anything while playing for Bangladesh. “This degree is a huge honour for me,” Mushfiqur said. “Apart from my efforts, I would give credit to the university teachers and my friends who guided and assisted me. I couldn’t attend most of the classes, and had to take notes from my friends while the university authorities made sure my attendance wasn’t an issue. “The teachers also considered my attendance issues because my cricket commitments didn’t allow me to attend regular classes. I also had to work extra hard but whenever possible, I went for classes and took the exams.” Mushfiqur’s degree is a major boost for him personally and a source of inspiration for cricketers in the country, especially the younger ones. It goes to show how education and an international career can be managed in Bangladesh where most cricketers abandon their studies to pursue the game professionally. As a result, Mushfiqur wants to stress on the importance of education in the young players’ lives, though he believes it is ultimately a matter of choice.
