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Empathy promotes democracy

Agree young leaders of AL, BNP

Staff Correspondent
Young leaders of two major political parties have agreed that the practice of empathy among the political parties can ensure a healthy political culture in the country.
If the political leaders express empathy for their political opponents, the very practice can contribute to establishing a sound democratic culture, they emphasised.
They made the observation at the certificate giving ceremony of "Young Political Leaders Fellowship Programme" at a hotel in the capital yesterday.
US-based Democracy International (DI) organised the event to award certificates to the 21 young leaders from both ruling Awami League and BNP, who completed the programme.
The fellowship, started in December last year for four months, was provided under a project, titled "Strengthening Political Landscape", jointly funded by USAID and UKaid.
During the fellowship period, the political leaders learned various issues including the
role of political parties in a democracy, intraparty democracy and campaign management as well as promotingpeaceful elections.
Besides, during the programme, the leaders from the two major parties worked together to solve different problems such as waterlogging and waste management in their respective communities.
Speaking at the ceremony as a guest, AL Organising Secretary Barrister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury said, "Empathy is necessary to maintain a healthy political culture."
He reminded the young leaders that politics should be practised for the betterment of people.
So, the competition to grab the state power shrugging off the interest of the people cannot be considered a good practice, he added.
Another guest speaker, Rasheda Begum Hira, training affairs secretary of BNP, said the culture of political mudslinging discourages young generation from getting involved in politics. She urged the young leaders to discard hatred against each other, and asked them to work for the interest of the people and keep the spirit of democracy alive.
ABM Mosharraf Hossain, another training affairs secretary of BNP, said unity among the political parties for the greater interest of the country is a must. "It has been long since we earned independence, but the parties have yet to come up with any agreeable solution on how to conduct the election.'
Katie Croake, chief of the Democracy International, said the young leaders had a chance to have dialogues among themselves throughout the fellowship; it is indeed a very good democratic practice. Deputy Mission Director of USAID (Bangladesh) Zeinah Salahi was present, among others.