Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic
Studies (BIISS) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
jointly organized a seminar titled “Young Leaders, Sustainable Futures:
Advancing the SDGs Together” on Tuesday at the BIISS Auditorium in Dhaka, a
press release said.
The seminar brought together policymakers, development
practitioners, academics, youth leaders, civil society representatives, and
development partners to discuss how young people can play a transformative role
in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in Bangladesh.
Two presentations were delivered during the seminar. In
their presentations, Md Rafid Abrar Miah, Research Fellow, BIISS, and Professor
Dr Kazi Maruful Islam, Department of Development Studies and Director of the
Centre on Budget and Policy at the University of Dhaka, highlighted the role of
youth-led innovation and policy engagement in achieving the SDGs at the local
level. They also discussed the challenges and opportunities of youth engagement
in sustainable development, said a press release.
Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman, Director General of
BIISS, delivered the welcome address and emphasized the importance of
empowering young people as key stakeholders in Bangladesh’s sustainable
development journey. He highlighted the need to create enabling
environments where youth can contribute meaningfully to
policy discourse, innovation, and
community development.
The event was attended by Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General of
BIMSTEC, as the Guest of Honour, and Professor Dr SM Abdul-Awal, Principal
Coordinator (SDG Affairs) at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), as the Special
Guest. Mr. Sudhir Muralidharan, Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh and Bhutan,
delivered the welcome remarks and reaffirmed UNOPS’ commitment to supporting
youth engagement, SDG localization, and multi-stakeholder partnershipsfor
sustainable development.
In his remarks, Muralidharan underscored that young people
are not merely beneficiaries of development but active partners and drivers of
change. He highlighted the importance of investing in youth leadership,
innovation, entrepreneurship, and meaningful participation to
accelerate progress towards the 2030 Agenda.
Addressing the gathering, Indra Mani Pandey highlighted
the importance of regional cooperation and youth engagement in addressing
shared development challenges across the
BIMSTEC region. Professor Dr SM Abdul-Awal emphasized the
Government of Bangladesh’s
continued commitment to SDG implementation and the
importance of integrating youth
perspectives into national development planning.
Participants stressed that achieving the SDGs requires
stronger collaboration among government institutions, development partners,
academia, civil society organizations, the private sector, and youth-led
organizations.
The seminar concluded with a shared commitment to
strengthening youth participation in SDG localization efforts and promoting
collaborative actions that empower young people as leaders of sustainable
development.
