After 50 years of independence, Bangladesh is now a country entering a new era with various opportunities. It is estimated that, by the year 2026, Bangladesh will be transformed in status from a “least developed country” to a “developing country.” In addition, the main goal of the government is to make Bangladesh a developed and prosperous country by the year 2041.
However, inappropriately, by abusing power and status, an opportunistic influential group is becoming the owner of abundant wealth, which is being accumulated in the hands of some bad actors both within the country and abroad. People's right to vote and the will to choose a democratic leader is being abandoned again and again.
To overcome such shocks and uncertainties, we need to build a democratic, humanitarian, and aspiring Bangladesh. One of the challenges will be to promote good governance and democracy as well as to eliminate economic inequality, strengthen the state, and preserve constitutional institutions.
The new generation
As a nation, the people of Bangladesh are down-to-earth, practical, creative, and courageous. The heart of the country is the brave young generation of this country. It is the obligatory duty of the youth to come forward with possibilities, to face and solve problems, and to exercise leadership.
Therefore, political participation and intellectual leadership of the youth are needed to make new opportunities and possibilities a reality. It is a developed young generation who will take us to the desired goal of a developed and prosperous Bangladesh.
To make the best use of the creativity and immense potential of the youth, we must work together to ensure a conducive environment for the practice of democracy in the country. Young people need to be involved in positive political practices. For young people to receive education and develop skills, abilities, talents, and minds, various learning methods need to be found.
Democracy will be strengthened and development will be accelerated if the youth participate in politics as activists and voters. To make our political culture fully representative, everyone in the society, especially the youth, needs to be involved as a significant numerical and percentage part of our population.
We have reason to be hopeful because when people fall on the brink of death due to cold winters in North Bengal or elsewhere and do not get food due to hunger, the conscious youth of the whole country come forward. They bring warmth to the needy by providing food and winter clothing. It is the youth who led the creative endeavors to stand by the helpless people and remove the obstacles in the way of the people.
Agents of change
Young people act as a metaphor for change. They are creative and constantly create new possibilities to solve any type of problems with positivity and great enthusiasm. Youths come forward to stand by the side of helpless people and create social harmony.
Politics and democracy have a direct relationship with the progress or prosperity of the nation. As evidenced by our rich history, the youth have repeatedly led movements for greater rights, freedom, and democracy. Only the youth have the creative talent and courage needed to realize and secure the rights of common people in the society, and the youth of Bangladesh have done so time and time again.
Regrettably, young people are turning away from politics day by day, which is frustrating to say the least. It's because they have negative ideas and views about politics. Research has shown that a significant portion of young people think that ongoing political practice does not value their hopes and aspirations. They are withdrawing from political and social organizations.
While the political and social forces are indifferent to the needs of the youth, they impose their respective political ideology and activities on the youth. Leaders of student politics are more concerned about the programs of their respective political parties than looking after the interests of ordinary students. In the same way that ordinary students are deprived of their due opportunities and rights, student leaders are also deprived of the activities of popularizing themselves.
There will be conflict in politics, there will be differences of opinion. But we can advance the practice of democracy by paying homage to those who oppose it. Conflict harms democracy and hinders the development of politics and stops the pace of development. As a result, a lot of meritorious people, especially women, all too often dare not get involved in politics.
A new environment
To meet the challenge of building a developed, prosperous country, it is necessary to create an environment of non-violent political debate for the youth in the educational institutions of the country irrespective of their party affiliation. Research has shown that housing, food, medical facilities, transportation, research opportunities, and cultural practices are some of the frequent complications that students face on campus.
Usually, political parties turn a blind eye to all these problems. Political parties are focused on involving the youth to carry out their own agendas but are not keen on solving the problems of the youth on campus.
Student organizations may have different political views, and this is usual. Different students on campus may have different interests so there can be conflicts of leadership. However, all political parties must have a positive attitude towards solving the problems of ordinary students. Political parties need to have year-round programs for the social and political development of the younger generation.
Students expect student organizations to represent the interests of students. Political parties should focus their student organizations on solving campus-based problems. Through campus activities, contribution is made to the well-being of ordinary students who become leaders of the future.
Let the political parties also build a political culture to take Bangladesh to a unique level by making a unique contribution to the development of a culture of education through the leaders of their student organizations.
Also, student leaders need to find ways to better represent young people. Political knowledge and mutual respect are important for the development of student politics. If we can create an environment for peaceful and positive opposition, we can create a field for the practice of non-violent politics.
Thinking positive
The ideas of the present young political leaders to solve the difficulties of ordinary students are also positive. The young political leaders of this generation emphasized on the mindset of different student organizations to work together. They think that students should be actively involved in social awareness activities and poor students need collaborative support in education, housing, medicine, and research facilities.
All student organizations must work simultaneously to make the campus drug-free and terror-free. They also agree that there should be no opportunity to compromise with non-communal mindsets. They say a safe campus is essential for female students.
To take Bangladesh to new heights, politically conscious young leadership is what is needed. They advocate for holding workshops, seminars, and debates, reading books, and conducting cultural activities to increase political and cultural awareness so that students are interested in constructive politics. They said that international research institutes like training units, research units, and IRI could conduct these activities. They believe that it is possible to create an environment of non-violent political debate through these activities.
We believe that participation of youth in politics is vital for any working democracy. Moreover, the organization believes that the inclusion of the younger generation needs to be given utmost importance to make the political culture fully representative.
We can establish an environment of peaceful politics through dialogue and negotiation. The culture of being respectful to others must start from student life. The goal of sincere student politics is to solve the problems of ordinary students, regardless of party affiliation.
We can enrich ourselves by listening to others and comparing different opinions. The culture of listening to each other and reaching creative solutions through dialogue should be the political culture of our student politics.
Through the practice of democratic politics, we can involve all sections of society, from all races, genders, and creeds. We can develop their leadership by empowering the underdeveloped sections of the society and create impactful and visionary leaders of the near future.
Saif Ahmed, governance specialist, IRI Bangladesh.