National Youth Day today

The National Youth Day-2021 is being observed today (Monday) through various programmes across the country.

With the aim of building 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Bangabandhu and keeping in mind the creativity, self-confidence and enthusiasm of the youths, this year's theme of the day is 'Dakkho Jubo Samriddho Desh, Bangabandhu'r  Bangladesh'.

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the country's youth society and wished all programmes of the day a success.

In a message, President M Abdul Hamid said the large part of the country's population is youths and the trend will continue till 2043.

He said this demographic dividend should be utilized to attain UN declared Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and build Bangladesh a happy, prosperous and developed nation by 2041.

In this regard, there is no alternative to ensure participatory, peaceful, equitable and innovative development for the youths, he said.

The President said the youths should be built as skilled, modern, science-minded and liberal conscientious human being keeping them distant from superstitions, abuse of drug, terrorism and militancy.

He said Youth and Sports Ministry and Department of Youth is conducting and implementing different programme for sharpening the youths who are considered as weapon of building country.

The programme for youth development taken by the government is turning all the youths as skilled manpower, he said.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was an icon for youths.

She said Bangabandhu could realize that the youths are the nation's vitality and they are key force for development and progress.
Under the undisputed leadership of Bangabandhu, it had been possible to attain victory in every sphere from 1952 Language Movement to 1971 Liberation with the spontaneously participation of youth of the East Bengal, she said.

After the independence, she said, Bangabandhu concentrated on creating educated and capable youths as he believed that enlightened youth can accelerate the country's overall development.

The premier said Bangabandhu approved the proposal of founding "Bangabandhu Krirasebi Kalyan Foundation" on August 6, 1975 for the sport lovers side by side with encouraging the youth in receiving education.

She said during 1996-2001 term, her Awami League government had taken and implemented various initiatives to engage the youth in the mainstream of development.

Later, since attaining victory in 2008 general elections, the government has been continuing imparting multifaceted training to youth in technological, technical, vocational and agriculture-based arena to turn them into skilled manpower, she said.

She said her government has brought scopes for self-employment for youths by providing youth loans.

The Prime Minister said the government has formulated the 'Youth Welfare Fund Act, 2016' under which so far 12, 969 youth organizations have been given grants of Tk 20 crore 85 lakh 46 thousand.

The action plan has been published with the formulation of 'National Youth Policy, 2017' and the Youth Index has been prepared, she added.

She said in order to involve the voluntary youth organizations in socio-economic development and public awareness activities, the Youth Organizations (Registration and Management) Act, 2015 and the Youth Organizations (Registration and Management) Rules, 2017 have been formulated.