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National Youth Festival Begins

’Youths have responsibilities to vote right persons to lead the nation’

Staff Correspondent
A two-day National Youth Festival began yesterday in the capital to uphold the views of the young generation and carry messages of building the nation in participation of all.
The International Republican Institute (IRI) organised the festival in association with USAID at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
Around 40 organisations working on promoting democratic practices, development, health, civil and human rights set up stalls at the centre on the occasion of Tarunner Mela (youth festival) and arranged various creative programmes.
'One-third of the country's voters are young and will vote for the first time. They have responsibilities to vote the right persons to lead the nation,” IRI Resident Country Director Jeff Vanness said at the inaugural session of the programme.
They will surely share their ideas and learn through interactions," he said, expressing his hope that Bangladesh this time is going to wi mess a very good national poll.
The IRI also set up a postbox at
the venue for-letters on various issues to be sent to the authorities concerned.
"People write letters to the media and other authorities But this is a fantastic programme where organisers made it possible for the youths to share their ideas and learn issues of national interests,' said Azizur Rahman, a student of Bangladesh Leather Technology College.
Election Working Group (EWG) arranged a mock poll where youths voted on three issues - reduction in unemployment, corruption and controlling price hike of essentials.
“To me this is a good practice for the next national polls," said Dhaka College student Abdur Rashid, who came to the festival where several thousand youths, mostly from colleges and universities, turned up.
EWG Research Assistant Shafiqul Alam said the issue that gets the most votes will be discussed in a seminar.
Rupantar. an NGO, arranged competitions on drama, painting and traditional pot song on the youths' expected political leaders who will truly work for the welfare of the country'.
"This is a very different sort of idea. I liked it. I hope that through such programmes youths will really learn to choose their leaders in the upcoming elections," said Kabi Nazrul College student Johnny who took part in the paintingcompetition.
Besides, organisations arranged question-answer sessions with political leaders, cultural programmes, film shows, debates at mock parliament, formation of political parties and competition among them on political manifestos and facing public questions, youth perception survey's on the country's situation and addressing challenges.
Speaking as the chief guest, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain said: "We want to see such leadership through the next elections before this yearend that will take the country forward. "
Calling for young and energetic leadership in politics, he said Election Commission (EC) is framing laws so that students' politics does not become part of partisan politics. Besides, EC is going to introduce "no vote" allowing voters not to vote for the candidates.
who are not competitive and honest, he added.
Hie election commissioner said the EC for the first time is going to make arrangements where candidates of city corporation elections can face people and respond to their questions.
Calling for youths' unity to stand against all corrupt practices in politics, novelist Imdadul Haque Milon said many of the corrupt politicians abused the youths, but did not think of their concerns after winning the elections.
Television personality Abdun Noor Tusher said it was the youths who played major roles in the history of Bangladesh - starting from the Language Movement in 1952 to the Liberation War in 1971.
He said, "The youths should be united and seriously inquire about the election candidates before voting, otherwise they will be responsible if they make mistakes."
Rupantar, Management Resources and Development Initiative, Steps Towards Development. Democracywatch, EWG, Nielsen, e-Zone, CCD, nation pulse and Jubo Nagorik Forum assisted in organising the festival.