The inscription on the mural reflects their vision
“We are limitless as sky”
Bangladeshi National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
“Unite me with others and make me free of any bondage”
Nobel Laureate and Poet Rabindranath Tagore
Some people dream and some people make their dreams come true
The founders, Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmad and his wife Mrs. Rosy Ahmad belonged to the latter category. Mr. Ahmad was a brilliant self-made man and he reached the pinnacle of his professional career by sheer tenacity, hardwork and self confidence. He lost his father, Dr. Fazlul Karim when he was just 15 years old. However, he was blessed with a mother, Mrs. Gultaz Begum, who was a visionary and believed in educating her children. Mr. Ahmad from a very young age encountered various adversities but he took those as his personal challenges. He also had a role model in his older brother Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmad, who was on his own right one of the most eminent Pharmacologists of Bangladesh.
Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmad got his primary and secondary education in Chattogram and then his Bachelors and Masters Degree from Dhaka University. Mr. Ahmad was a student leader during the 1952 Bangla Language Movement (Bhasha Andolon). Although he was involved in student politics during the formidable and tumultuous time in 1951-1952, he graduated at the top of his class with distinction. He then got selected as a Burma Shell scholar and went to London to do his Chartered Accountancy. He was a fellow of Peat Marwick Mitchel and passed the Chartered Accountancy examination the first time from England and Wales.
Mr. Ahmad returned to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) and started his professional career in Chattogram. He worked at the top levels in the private and public sectors. He became an Advisor to then President Ziaur Rahman’s cabinet and later assumed the role of Minister of Industries and later became the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Bangladesh. He also was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) from Chattogram 4. As of now Mr. Ahmad was the only Deputy Prime Minister from Chattogram.
Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmad and Mrs. Rosy Ahmad had a long term vision of establishing a girls’ school and college in Doulatpur, a village that was the birthplace of Mr. Ahmad. They were fully indoctrinated in the vision that girls’ education is the success of a nation. They had two daughters and their only expectation for their daughters was to get educated and do something on their own. They had the same vision for all the students of Gultaz Memorial School and College.
A personal look at the founders’ lives from their daughters’ vantage point
Jamal Uddin Ahmad (Born March 01, 1932; Died January 03, 2015)
Our father, Mr. Jamal Uddin Ahmad, was a brilliant visionary, had incredible charisma, and was a born leader with a deep sense of purpose. He was a voracious reader, a prolific writer, a great communicator, and excelled at public speaking. He had a wide variety of interests and was very knowledgeable about diverse topics. He had deep interest in global affairs, both political and economic. He was always willing to discuss dissenting viewpoints and enjoyed spirited debates. His approachable and friendly nature instantly made a lasting impression with everyone. He was completely at ease with discussing global economy, international and local politics, human rights to mundane family affairs, switching gears as necessary. He had an innate ability to connect with his audience, in private or in public. He was engaging, openminded and extremely witty, with an appealing sense of humor. He had the ability to make anyone feel like they were the only person in the room, with genuine interest in the conversation. His infectious personality, warmth and charm won him friends from all walks of life anywhere he went, throughout his life. He loved good food, enjoyed music, loved to travel, and adored his family. Our father was a deeply spiritual person with a very pragmatic view of religion. He was generous, trusting, understanding and forgiving. He believed in hard work and felt an obligation to give people opportunities so they could prosper on their own. He was the patriarch of his family, even though was the second in order of birth. He took upon his responsibility with pride, honor and fairness. He weathered many personal and public hurdles throughout his life, always with deep faith, integrity and optimism. The power of positive thinking, and self-confidence allowed him to be ambitious beyond his profession as a Chartered Accountant. He started his career as an Executive in a Multinational Oil company, established his own professional firm, became an elected Member of Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Minister for Industries, then decided to become a Business Owner and a dedicated Philanthropist. His fortitude, tenacity and strength of character helped him navigate through these very different career paths successfully during his lifetime. He was fearless and courageous, lived life to the fullest, with humility but without regret and on his own terms.
Rosy Ahmad (Born April 15, 1935)
Our mother, Rosy Ahmad, has been the north star and the rock of our family. Her unwavering devotion, sense of duty, deep faith and constant inspiration has been the bedrock of the success we have all achieved and enjoyed in our lives. Her elegant and quiet grace has sustained us through rough patches all our lives. She continues to be a role model for us with her deep confidence in herself, quiet and undemanding nature and profound gratitude for everything. She is very humble, modest and extremely loyal to family and friends. She is beautiful, inside and out, and even as an octogenarian, she exudes the same sense of beauty she has always possessed. She derives her deepest comfort from the unconditional love and support she has enjoyed from her beloved husband, her two daughters and her four loving grandchildren. Our mother is an avid reader, loves literature, poetry, music and theatre. She enjoys reading about history, biographies and appreciates all forms of art and culture. She kept meticulous journals for many years and has written about her family from what she remembered from her childhood, and her own life experiences. She loves nature and can be transfixed for hours by its beauty. Our mother has been very spiritual and pious throughout her life. Her absolute faith and submission to Allah’s will is the source of all her strength and courage. Our parents were fortunate to travel all over the world, however, they remained true to their roots and made their home in Bangladesh. Our mother was the inspiration behind the establishment of Gultaz Memorial School & College, and she has always been a very dedicated and passionate founder partner. Her steadfast encouragement, trust, and support has helped in transforming this school from a modest structure with a few school rooms with a handful students to its current state. It was not an easy journey, but my parents sacrifice, dedication and fortitude were the foundation this institution was built upon and to this day, it is the same principle that provides its sustenance. The vision of our parents for this institution is to enable students to improve their lives through education, to broaden their minds, and to provide opportunities for the betterment of future generations. This institution and its success continue to be a tremendous source of pride and joy for our mother and for us.