Feature

BYLC launches third youth
leadership program in Bangladesh

Mirza Salman Hossain Beg

WHAT started as an initiative more than a year ago, with a view to involving young minds from diverse backgrounds to understand leadership and working to making a difference in their community, has already turned into a successful organization.

BYLC was founded with the vision of creating a more tolerant, just and inclusive society by training the next generation of leaders. BYLC works to bridge gaps in society by uniting youth from diverse backgrounds, equipping them with leadership, problem solving and teamwork skills and engaging them in community service and active citizenship. Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT) is BYLC's signature leadership training program offered twice a year to college and first year university students from Madrassa, English and Bengali medium background. BYLC's second BBLT program this past summer was supported by the US Embassy and the current BBLT program is being supported by the British High Commission in Dhaka. Full tuition scholarship is provided to all selected student for this program to avail the learning opportunity of a lifetime.

BYLC recently launched its third program with the inauguration of BBLT 3 on December 5, 2009. The ceremony, held at BIAM foundation, was attended by the students participating in this years' BBLT 3 program as well as their parents, past BBLT graduates, distinguished guests from foreign missions, eminent personalities from NGOs and corporate sectors, members of the press, facilitators and a group of BYLC enthusiasts. Founder and President of BYLC, Ejaj Ahmad, moderated the event.

“The people of this nation who fought for the liberation war is often biased towards their own achievements and let go of the idea that our young generation can also make a difference. There is a certain sense of arrogance in our generation. However, I believe the only way we can make progress in our society is by making room for fresh leadership from the new generation the post 71 generation. Young people do care about their society and if given the right opportunity they can and will step up,” said Mrs. Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, while speaking as the Special Guest at the event. She also expressed her deep appreciation to BYLC and the parents who supported their children to be a part of the month-long BBLT program.

While addressing the audience as the Guest of Honor at the ceremony, Barrister Manzoor Hasan OBE, Director, Institute of Governance Studies at BRAC University and Member, Governing Board of BYLC, shared his personal stories of making hard choices in life. He reminisced how badly he was criticized as his family decided to come back to Bangladesh after 22 years of living abroad. He told the audience about his realization and sense of responsibility towards his own motherland and how he made the choice to work in public service upon his return. Manzoor Hasan also recalled how moving it was for him to meet someone like Ejaj Ahmad two years back when BYLC was just an idea and how passionately he joined the BYLC Board with a desire to promote responsible leadership in society.

The Chief Guest at the event was Mr. Mijarul Quayes, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh and Member, International Advisory Board of BYLC. He started his speech eloquently with a quote from Tagore, reminding his audience of the importance of opening closed colors and embracing new and unexplored territories. “The youth are the agents of change in a society.

After three decades since our independence our nation is on the brink of a generation shift. As the older generation will soon retire it is imperative that the young generation prepare themselves to come to the forefront and take up leadership roles.”

Mr. Quayes related our individual life with a circle metaphor. He observed how everyone in society draws a circle around him or her and tries to stay within that circle, not knowing what others are thinking or doing in other circles. These small circles prevent us from making progress and learning how others think and feel. He appreciated how BYLC was trying to create a bigger circle encompassing the three circles in our educational system English, Bengali and Madrassa medium. “This building brigdes effort will serve Bangladesh well in the future. It will help create a more inclusive young generation,” he added.

A total of 42 students were competitively selected from 586 applications from over 120 colleges, madrassas and universities for this international award-winning program. These 42 of Dhaka's best and brightest will spend a grueling month attending the after-school leadership training sessions, three hours a day, six days a week. The program has three components: building bridges, leadership training and community service. After two weeks of intensive leadership training, students will apply their newly honed leadership skills in a real life setting by serving in their local communities.

Facilitator, BBLT 3 Program ,Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC)