Dhaka: Speakers at a seminar today stressed the need for empowering young people and ensuring their meaningful participation in policymaking and development initiatives to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh. The observations came at a seminar titled “Young Leaders, Sustainable Futures: Advancing the SDGs Together”, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the United Nations Office for Project Services at the BIISS Auditorium in the capital.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, 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 SDGs in Bangladesh. In his welcome address, Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman, Director General of BIISS, highlighted the importance of empowering youth as key stakeholders in the country’s sustainable development journey. He stressed the need to create an enabling environment where young people can contribute meaningfully to policy discourse, innovation, and community development.
Two presentations were delivered at the seminar by BIISS Research Fellow Md Rafid Abrar Miah and Professor Dr. Kazi Maruful Islam of the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka. They highlighted the role of youth-led innovation and policy engagement in achieving the SDGs at the local level and discussed the challenges and opportunities of youth participation in sustainable development.
Speaking at the event, UNOPS Bangladesh and Bhutan Country Manager Sudhir Muralidharan reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting youth engagement, SDG localization, and multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development. He said young people are not merely beneficiaries of development but active partners and drivers of change, underscoring the importance of investing in youth leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and meaningful participation to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda.
Secretary General of BIMSTEC Indra Mani Pandey attended the programme as the guest of honour, while Principal Coordinator (SDG Affairs) at the Prime Minister’s Office Professor Dr S M Abdul-Awal joined as the special guest. Addressing the gathering, Pandey emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and youth engagement in addressing shared development challenges across the BIMSTEC region.
Participants noted 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 to empower young people as leaders of sustainable development.