WHO’s mental health expert Saima Wazed Hossain has called upon the youths to learn from the life of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and contribute to the development of the country.
She also called upon the policymakers to help youths to grow with required support as they are heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic that robbed them of their education and job opportunities.
The daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Saima Wazed, was making the closing remarks at a webinar on Covid-19 and youth development on Sunday.
The ruling Awami League’s research wing CRI organised the three-day webinar on different types of issues related to youth development.
They have connected youths with the policymakers through those sessions. At the end, youths also made recommendations for the future development of the country.
Saima Wazed, who is also a US-licensed psychologist, is the vice-chairman of the CRI.
She referred to the life and struggle of her grandfather, Bangabandhu, and said he started as a ‘youth volunteer’ in his community.
“But he had some moral values and drives that kept him going on. He faced a lot of hurdles, but he did not stop. He created scopes from the impediments and that is why we got independence, she said.
“Sometimes hindrance is in the brain,” she said.
She, however, was amazed to see the recommendations coming from the youths and said they need support as they are hugely impacted economically, mentally and education-wise due to the pandemic.
She particularly highlighted some issues such as creation of information database, cultural database and resource database recommended by the youths.
She also stressed the ‘mindset change’ of the policymakers for youth development.
“They are doing amazing work - be it in health, environment and education. But their important work sometimes do not receive proper attention. And that’s why we started ‘Young Bangla’ at the CRI to highlight their innovative activities,” she said, referring to the initiatives taken by the Young Bangla to recognize youths’ work.
She thanked the CRI and Young Bangla for hosting the event.
