By: Dr Azizul Hakim
Young people have played a big role in struggles for independence, nationalist movements, and the building of nations in a number of countries. They have gone against cultural norms, pushed for new ideas, and started change. Young people are brave, hopeful, and want to make things better. They fight against injustice and unfair practices all the time, and they often show a strong commitment to creativity and leadership.
A lot of great things have been done by young people in Bangladesh, like the Pathao co-founders and Shikho, a Bangladeshi edtech startup. Young people have always been at the front of movements for freedom and justice, from the Language Movement to the Liberation War to the most recent uprising in July and August. The same ideas came back in 1990, and student and youth groups were a big part of the mass movement that ended authoritarian rule. Their leadership has changed the way society works and the way problems are solved. Patterns repeat themselves in the history of the world. For example, young people were crucial in the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and many other events. Therefore, these young people from all over the world are very important for business, research, and technology to grow. They are smart, creative, and proficient with technology, which means they can change whole industries and make science better. Young people start new businesses and improve old ones, which is beneficial for the economy and creates jobs. They also learn how to use technology to solve old problems in new ways.
The youth of Bangladesh contributed significantly to the country's economy via their work in science and industry, which went beyond their roles in independence struggles and revolutionary transformations for many countries.Young scientists help science move forward by making new discoveries and breakthroughs. Their work often leads to new technologies that could have a big impact on fields like health, business, and protecting the environment. The young people are responsible for introducing changes to digital technology. They are proficient at using new technology to improve communication, learning, and personal growth. It's not just better technology that makes the world a better place; it's also the younger generation. They raise awareness, change people's minds, and take on leadership roles to deal with social problems and help society move forward in the long term.
There is no doubt that internationally recognised young industrialists have made important contributions to the fields of science, technology, and industry. Elon Musk has amazed the world with his groundbreaking work in renewable energy and space exploration. He started Tesla and SpaceX when he was very young. Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple), Mark Zuckerberg (co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms and Facebook), Bill Gates (co-founder of Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen), Jack Ma (co-founder of Alibaba Group and Yunfeng Capital), Chad Hurley (co-founder of YouTube), and Alex Karp (co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies) are all examples of how young visionaries can change industries and make the world a better place. Bangladesh's young businesspeople and scientists are making big contributions to all areas, getting the country ready for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Not only are these individuals helping the national economy by starting new businesses and IT companies, but they are also coming up with new ideas and ways to grow. New scientists are doing a lot of research and testing, which will help technology move forward in the future. More and more young people in Bangladesh are keen to learn more about technology. This growing skill will definitely lead to new ways to come up with new ideas in the near future. The state needs to give a lot of institutional support, incentives, and encouragement to fully realise this potential. Only then can we fully use the energy and creativity of young people to make the world and the country better.
Bangladesh has to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution in order to be competitive in the global market. This means making effective use of the knowledge and effort of its young people and taking use of its demographic dividend.To get young people to come up with new ideas and carry out projects, there could be a national competition and training program called "The National Innovation Project." There are three age groups for participants: 18 to 25, 26 to 30, and 31 to 35. Competitions may begin at the district and upazila levels, eventually advancing to divisional and national levels. Young people will be inspired to come up with new ways to solve big national problems and will be given clear plans for how to carry them out.
The government of Bangladesh might start a campaign called "Patriotism in Action: Building the Nation with Integrity and Dedication." This program lets people who have a bachelor's degree work as interns for three to six months at government and semi-government institutions across the country. Their job would be to find corruption, expose weaknesses in the system, and map out networks that allow these kinds of activities, all in order to help get rid of them. After training in the field, these interns can present their findings, recommended preventive measures, and plans for putting them into action at national seminars and symposiums. The state may use these ideas to set up a system for the anti-corruption program, making sure that young people are engaged in both coming up with ideas and putting them into action. Bangladesh will be able to move towards a new way of conducting operations in which its young play an active role in establishing the country and tackling corruption and the issues of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Some ideas will be recognised and valued at the national level, and the individuals who came up with them will receive special training in Bangladesh and internationally to make sure they execute their projects on time. This initiative will provide young people the skills they need to make significant changes in the growth of the country and the way institutions work. This would help Bangladesh cope with the issues that come with a world that is increasingly competitive.Since many young people in the age range of Generation Z constitute the population of the country, the campaign "Patriotism in Action: Building the Nation with Integrity and Dedication" might be endorsed by some action plan that is mostly supported by Gen Z.
Generation Z (Gen Z) and Millennials (Gen Y) make up the majority of young people in Bangladesh. We can use their full potential to improve Bangladesh's education and economy during this competitive time of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To bring about economic and social change in Bangladesh, a national development plan must use the creativity, adaptability, and digital skills of Generation Z along with the knowledge, leadership, and business skills of Generation Y. By 2030, authorities must prioritise youth-led startups, digital innovation, and skill development in artificial intelligence, green technology, and global freelancing to stimulate economic growth. Education should move towards curricula that focus on industry, research centres, and working together with other countries. At the same time, governments should include young councils to give new ideas on how to make policies. Social initiatives may involve youth in literacy campaigns, healthcare outreach, and climate resilience projects, fostering inclusive and sustainable progress. These generations could work together to make Bangladesh a modern, knowledge-based, and competitive country on the world stage.
Finally, in Bangladesh, where a large part of the population is made up of young people, their involvement is very important. They are important for building a modern, knowledge-based, and technology-focused economy because they will shape the future of the country.
Dr Azizul Hakim, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh
