69.4% youth think nepotism, graft stifle development: Study

A significant 69.4% of young people in Bangladesh considered corruption and nepotism as the main obstacles to the country's development, found a study conducted by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh.

The study also revealed that 46.5% youth identify the lack of transparency and accountability as a major developmental barrier, while 32.6% point to the prioritisation of vested interests. 

Additionally, 28.1% of respondents cited insufficient institutional capacity and coordination as significant obstacles to progress.

The study, "Youth Perspectives in the Current National Context", also revealed that 53.8% of the youth never voted in the general election and 43.1% feel hesitant or nervous about expressing their opinions.

The study was conducted online involving 5,075 young individuals aged 18-35 to gain insights into their perspectives on the country's development agenda. It highlighted the obstacles perceived by youths in relation to development in the country.

The survey focused on various aspects such as voting, political participation, policy awareness, freedom of expression, and youth representation concerns, considering that the youth comprise around 30% of Bangladesh's population.

Towfiqul Islam Khan, senior research fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), presented the research findings during the "Youth Conference 2023" held at the Krishibid Institution on Saturday.

Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, emphasised the significance of the young population which constitutes a considerable portion of Bangladesh's demographics.

He said, "The population of Bangladesh is now around 16.5 crore, with most of them being youths aged between 18 and 35. The number and proportion of this age group are increasing every decade, making it the largest potential workforce in Bangladesh."

Highlighting the role of the young in shaping the country's future, Debapriya expressed concerns about effectively connecting the hopes, aspirations, and expectations of the youth within society.

He discussed the evolving role of the family in managing the state, politics, social policy, and the profession, emphasising the potential of the family as an institution to play a significant role in practising democracy.

While addressing the upcoming elections, Dr Debapriya expressed optimism about increased youth participation and hoped that any concerns or doubts would dissipate in the coming days.

Mentioning that every generation faces new challenges, Mustafizur Rahman, distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), emphasised setting an example for the young generation that the country is going in a positive direction.

He noted that the average income of a family of four in Bangladesh is Tk1 lakh, while the difference in income between the top 5% and the bottom 5% has increased from 30 times in 2010 to 80 times in 2022.

"We do not just want a developed Bangladesh," he said. "We want an inclusive developed Bangladesh. Political fragmentation is a cause of concern for any country. We have to get out of the political isolation that has been created. Not everyone has to do politics, but it is our responsibility to be informed citizens."

Other findings

According to the study, 35.2% of Bangladeshi youth are not at all interested in politics, while 11.6% are very much interested.

Among the surveyed youth, 89.4% are not registered voters and 46% have never voted in local elections. Around 36.4% of the respondents reported facing criticism or disapproval for expressing their views.

The study highlights the strong inclination of young individuals to use social media as their primary source for receiving news related to development policies and politics, with 79.1% of respondents citing it as their main information outlet. 

Additionally, 48.1% mentioned newspapers, and 41.7% identified television or radio as their primary sources of news in this context.

According to the survey, 18.7% of the youths expressed a desire to permanently relocate abroad, a sentiment especially prevalent among those with higher levels of education. Furthermore, 35.4% of respondents believe that young people are adequately prepared for leadership roles in the future.

Why are young people detached from politics?

Lawmakers, teachers, researchers, students, and other stakeholders spoke at the youth conference, organised by the Citizen's Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, to discuss the country's development journey and the impact of the political detachment of the youth.

Moshreka Aditi Haque, associate professor of anthropology at Chittagong University, said, "We are living in a time of intolerant and violence-prone politics. This is why students and youth are less interested in politics."

She added, "In the past, politicians had an attitude of forming the state based on equality. But today's youth do not want to take responsibility for the formation of the state and society. This is leading us towards an anarchic and authoritarian politics."

Shama Obaid, organising secretary of the BNP, said a large section of youths remains outside politics because the student wing of the ruling party has been dominating the campuses over the past years in a threatening manner.

She also said that most of those who have gone to jail because of the Digital Security Act are young people. "Everyone should ask the ruling party leaders whether the youth will be able to vote in the future."

Tangail District Awami League Secretary for Industry and Commerce and Member of Parliament Ahsanul Islam Titu said it is natural to take action against those who commit seditious and criminal acts by using digital media.

He also said the Awami League will take the initiative to register unemployed youths in the future, and that this will be included in the party's election manifesto.

Jatiya Party Vice Chairman and Member of Parliament Ahsan Adelur Rahman said the country's budget is largely focused on mega projects, which are not designed to promote youth development.

He attributed the current political situation to the violent attitudes of the two main political parties, and said that this is why young people are not interested in politics.