A two-day youth carnival, organized by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, began at Government College of Physical Education, Mohammadpur in Dhaka.
Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) arranged its first youth carnival in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the NGO Affairs Bureau.
Young entrepreneurs of Bangladesh set up stalls to showcase their innovations and ideas to visitors at the carnival on Friday.
Some young entrepreneurs showcasing their innovations and ideas to visitors at BYLC youth carnival, organized by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, at Government College of Physical Education, Mohammadpur in Dhaka on Friday, December 27, 2019 | Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune
The carnival, a celebration of the lives and works of young people, comprised of sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and short talks featuring youth leaders and respected dignitaries of the country.
There are also opportunities for the participants to avail information on higher education and scholarship opportunities, mental health counselling sessions, games, quizzes, and exhibitions at the carnival.
At the opening session, Md. Akhter Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, urged the youth of Bangladesh to be united and work for the greater good of the nation.
In a plenary session, former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque, said alongside drug abuse, the youth has to be extra cautious about militant recruitment and influence.
Visitors at BYLC youth carnival, organized by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, at Government College of Physical Education, Mohammadpur in Dhaka on Friday, December 27, 2019 | Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune
Sharing an anecdote of a six-year-old child of a militant, he said they tried to convince the child to live with her grandparents but she kept on saying she will meet her father in heaven as she was conditioned in that way by her family.
He said family plays the most vital role in shaping a child’s mind. Therefore, parents have the power to save their children from going off the right path.
He urged the youths to internalize four key values—education, humanity, morality, and patriotism- to grow into a good human being.
In a plenary session titled ‘Stories of Hope and Action’, Umma Kulsum Popi, cofounder of a Rangpur based organization, BD Assistant, said when she was in school she saw a number of her female friends dropping out of school because of child marriage.
Some young entrepreneurs showcasing their innovations and ideas to visitors at BYLC youth carnival, organized by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, at Government College of Physical Education, Mohammadpur in Dhaka on Friday, December 27, 2019 | Rajib Dhar/Dhaka Tribune
“I could not do anything for bringing them back then but now we offer vocational training for dropouts through BD Assistant,” said Umma.
In the same panel, photographer Prito Reza said, “Do not look for a hero. You can be your own hero when you think about your good deeds. If you have never harassed a woman on the street, you will find yourself, a hero when you look into a mirror.”
