Deputy Minister for Education Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel urged the country’s youth to lead their life following the values of equality, secularism, inclusiveness and diversity to build the nation as they are always the key to the future of a nation.
“Youth have to get back to the spirit that we had 48 years ago. We fought then for our country’s independence to get rid of oppression and to establish values and ensure equality,” he said this on Wednesday while inaugurating a two-day Youth Promise Leadership Summit through a virtual platform.
He also called them to lead their life in a different way and not being so careerist and consumeristic but to live following the social values saying “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman always wanted them in the same way. Actually, he had much faith in youth even though he was imprisoned for his firm belief on youth.”
Coming out from the thinking of completing graduation and seeking for a job, Mohibul also urged them to come forward with new and entrepreneurial ideas. “We’re valuing things that we did not before like farming, fishing, dairy farming and skill-based and self-reliant works which can give us some short of sustainable income,” said the Deputy Minister.
Encouraging youth to think of getting a job he assured them and said, “We, from the policy making forum, would like to assist youth to get them re-skilled on this particular focus.”
With an aim to engage youth nationally on the most pressing topics facing the generation, DU Faculty of Social Sciences, Micro Governance Research Initiative and SAVE Youth, Bangladesh organised the two-day Youth Promise Leadership Summit, supported by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Around 500 participants from 11 universities including some university teachers and youth volunteers from different organisations are participating in the learning and sharing event.
Dean of DU Social Sciences Faculty Professor Dr. Sadeka Halim, IFES Country Director of Bangladesh Silja Paasilinna and Associate Prof of DU Political Science department also National Moderator of SAVE youth Bangladesh Aynul Islam also addressed the inaugural session.
Director of Young Lives of Oxford University Prof Dr. Andy McKay, Susan Benesch of Harvard University, Former Prof of Columbia University Dr. Rounaq Jahan, Regional Director of IFES Asia Pacific Vasu Mohan and Acting President of BEI Ambassador Humayun Kabir, among others, presented key speech in the summit as global resource persons.
Besides, 32 SAVE youth fellows who have been working on the social impact of covid-19 in Bangladesh and conducted some studies are also presenting their paper and findings in the summit while some faculties from different universities are also sharing their thoughts of youth activities during the pandemic.
