One of the biggest advantages that Bangladesh currently possesses is our nation's sizable youth population. An advantage whose potential we seem to be perpetually unable to harness.
While issues such as youth unemployment remain a veritable scourge for us, what is at the core of our stagnant, disaffected youth population is still our society's utter lack of confidence in having them guide the nation.
Young people have great untapped potential, and they are, no doubt, our nation's greatest asset at this point in history. It is time to let the youth contribute -- but more than that, lead the way.
The most important way this can be achieved is by having younger political representatives in the government. Representatives who not only have a deep understanding of the issues that matter to our country in the here and now but also can chart the way to a truly prosperous future for Bangladesh.
Of course, retrograde perspectives and a reluctance to embrace change have long proven to be stumbling blocks in truly moving the nation forward, which results in apprehension towards our youth. And yet, historically speaking, it is ultimately the youth who have proven to be the biggest drivers of positive change for us as a people -- from the student-led language movement of 1952 to the road safety protests of 2018.
Young people are not burdened by old, outdated, and often even failed patterns of thinking -- they are not afraid to innovate and, more importantly, call out injustices where they see them. While tradition and heritage must be respected, blindly clinging to the past will only hold us back.
It is no longer enough to simply let our young men and women voice themselves; when it comes to our policy-making and governance, our youth deserve a seat at the table.