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.