Quazi Saleh Mustanzir :
Rashed, a student pursuing his undergraduate studies at Jahanirnagar University, came of a lower middleclass family in Bangladesh. His university remains closed for more than one year due to Covid-19 pandemic. He along with his fellow students are attending classes virtually, doing assignments at home and submitting those online. Recently he feels his head aching, eyesight blurring, soul spiritless and his studies monotonous. A specter of uncertainty about his future is griping his mind. He no more wants this cocooned life. He wants to see the life in all its shades and enjoy it to the full. Rashed is the embodiment of millions of youths around at present who no longer want to confine themselves within the four walls of their houses.
With the detection of the first case of Covid-19 in Bangladesh in 2020, the government decided to shut down educational institutions sine die with intermittent countrywide lockdowns. Students constituting a major part of the youth in our society have been undergoing a series of problems since then. Long-term home isolation and social distancing are casting a negative shadow on the body and mind of the adolescent students. Suspension of physical classes is forcing them to follow irregular routines, sit before electronic devices for hours, complete huge bulk of assignments online etc.
Besides, students in Bangladesh from the middle and lower middle income families usually engage themselves in different sorts of informal jobs such as tutoring, small businesses, part-time jobs etc. to support them. But the pandemic left them dependent on the limited income of their families compelling their withdrawal from those informal jobs. This loss is taking a heavy toll on the psychological well-being of the students. Moreover, the news of spiraling death rate and losing the near and dear ones owing to Covid-19 infection are instilling in them the fear of death and pessimism about life. Abstention from games and sports is further affecting their physical and mental health badly. Moreover, the youths in poor families are not getting sufficient nutritious foods to boost their immunization system. Many of them do not even have any safer accommodation where they can follow health codes which include but not limited to maintaining social distancing.
Youths working in private sectors are facing numerous challenges during this pandemic. Many private organizations are downsizing their workforce with a view to curtailing operational costs. Lockdowns imposed off and on are jeopardizing the businesses on which thousands of youths depend to earn their livelihoods. The garments sectors are grappling with disbursement of regular wages to young workers. To add insult to the injuries, many youths are returning to Bangladesh losing their overseas jobs because of the pandemic. Slashing the employments of the youths in that way will increase the rate of poverty and augment criminal and anti-social activities in the society.
Digital divide is posing another problem for many youths of the country. They do not have access to internet facilities — now a compelling need for running their education alternatively online. On top of regular educational expenses the cost of electronic devices and internet connectivity are overwhelming the poor families. Again some negative externalities associated with their use are coming to the front. Youths are gradually getting addicted to different social media and staying up late to surf internet.
Our youths have set examples of humanity during this trying time. They are working voluntarily to distribute foods and medicines among the destitute moving door to door. Some youths are volunteering some risky tasks like collection of samples from suspected Covid infected patients, burial of dead bodies infected with corona virus etc. They also helped the peasants harvest their crops.
The new generation youths are showing more promises and very often they come up with innovative ideas to resolve many problems we are facing. Using the technology they are operating different startup businesses. Our policymakers should give ear to them and endorse their innovations. Leadership qualities will develop in them if we integrate them into the policy making process.
Our teachers and guardians should inculcate them with the ethical and moral values so as to keep them from drugs and other antisocial activities. If they are groomed properly they can contribute to rebuilding and reconstructing the economy devastated by the pandemic and help us make great strides again towards the implementation of ‘Vision 2041’ that we are striving for.And the great leadership coming out of these youths will cruise our development ship dexterously to the destination our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to reach.
(Mr. Mustanzir is Deputy Secretary, Planning Commission, Dhaka. Email: [email protected]).
