Central leaders of the country's three major parties spoke on a stage at a youth fair organized to encourage the young generation to participate in politics.
The fair was organized by the Multi-Party Advocacy Forum (MAF) in Dhaka, and supported by the Usaid-funded Strengthening Political Landscape in Bangladesh program implemented by Democracy International.
Speakers at the Dhaka youth fair, with the theme of “political discussion must continue,” said that the political parties should be more proactive in increasing the political participation of talented youth.
Members of the Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal, and Jatiyo Chatra Somaj, and politically aware students from four educational institutions participated.
This project aims to enhance the internal capacity of political parties, particularly youth and women leaders, and promote political harmony.
MAFs held 16 Youth Fairs in various districts across the country prior to Saturday's event in Dhaka.
Participating youth took part in various sessions including debates, quizzes, and online courses on the www.politicsmatters.com.bd e-learning platform, to enhance their political knowledge and skills.
Central leaders of three major political parties, including Jatiya Party's Joint Secretary General Golam Mohammad Raju, Bangladesh Awami League's Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Bangladesh Nationalist Party BNP's Organizing Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince attended the youth fair and spoke at the concluding ceremony.
Jatiya Party Joint Secretary General Golam Mohammad Raju said first of all, democracy must be practiced within the party, otherwise, how can democracy be established in the country?
Referring to the need to get out of dynastic political party practices, he said the current chairman of his party has started working towards that goal.
He urged the youth to come forward in politics.
Syed Imran Saleh Prince, Organizing Secretary of BNP, said, "We sometimes use youth for our own interests. Because we cannot use the power of the youth properly; they are drifting away from politics." Pointing out that politics has both good and bad sides, he said: “if we only talk about the negative sides then we will never move forward.” He urged the youth not to say, 'I hate politics.”
Awami League Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi said that even if there is a difference in ideology, everyone should be united on the issues of transparency, accountability, good governance, fundamentalism and militancy for the sake of the country.
“For the youth we have three parties united on one stage today; It is the demonstration of democratic practice. Thanking the Multi-Party Advocacy Forum he said, "We will hold such programs ourselves in the future with all the parties,” he added.
At the closing of the Youth Fair, the Chief of Party of Democracy International, Dana L Olds thanked the organizers and said that such a program was a shining example that political harmony was possible despite different political ideologies. She also thanked the guests and said that encouraging young people in politics means investing in future policymakers.
Seeing the presence of these politicians together shows young people the importance of tolerance in politics. She also thanked Usaid for supporting this program in Bangladesh.
At the end of the youth fair organizers awarded certificates to individuals who successfully finished all the courses on the Politics Matters e-learning platform, and winners of the debate, quiz, and video message competitions.
President of Multi-Party Advocacy Forum Dhaka, and BNP's Dhaka South Joint Convener Tanveer Ahmed gave the welcome remarks and, MAF Dhaka's general secretary and member of Awami League's central sub-committee Noorjahan Akter Shabuz moderated the youth fair.
