DHAKA, Nov 1, 2017 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid today urged the authorities concerned to build the youths through providing modern science- oriented education and time-befitting training to make them self-reliant and skilled with patriotism, human values and morality.
“Our potential youth society must have human values, shunning the terrorism and militancy and upholding the spirit of the 1971’s Liberation War,” he said while addressing a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium here on the National Youth Day 2017.
Noting that youth is the best period of human life and the best part of human resources, the President said the youth have to play very proactive role to build a hunger-free and poverty-free ‘Sonar Bangla’ designed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“You have to live with dignity and keeping your heads high across the globe by contributing positive role for the whole society,” Abdul Hamid said.
The President asked the Department of Youth Development and the ministries concerned to take innovative steps to improve their skill and capacity, ensure transparency and accountability in public services, and increase the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for youth development.
Recalling the role of youths in different democratic movements including the War of Liberation in 1971 and Language Movement in 1952, he said the heroic and glorious stories of youths are evident in the every stage of history.
“I joined the Liberation War at 26 . . . Most of the participants of the 1971 Liberation War were youths,” he added, paying rich tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their valuable lives for the welfare of the country including the Liberation War.
President Hamid said the courage, strength, innovative power and liberal mentality of youths are the running force of a nation as well as the whole world.
Mentioning that as many as five crore people, about one third of country’s total population, are youths, he said the role of youth generation is very important for the country’s overall economic development. They should be engaged in country’s development activities.
The President said the government is committed to build Bangladesh a middle-income one by 2021 and there is no alternative to active participation of youths in building a digital Bangladesh.
“I hope, youths will play a key role towards building Bangladesh as a rich country by 2041. The role of youths is a must to achieve targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly poverty alleviation, education, health, gender disparity, environment conservation and livable urbanisation,” the President said.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Biren Sikder, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy and Youth and Sports Secretary Md Ashadul Islam, among others, were present at the function.