State structure reforms needed for real change: Dr Debapriya

While small initiatives taken by youth to change society are useful, but thinking of ways to change and reforme the state structure can really change the country, Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, said at a discussion on Monday.

Speaking at "The Role of Youth in Achieving the SDGs" on the occasion of the International Youth Day organised by The Hunger Project and supported by the British Council at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital on Monday, he said if the state cannot be reformed then isolated changes will not bear much fruit.

He urged for individual initiative, collective effort and social activism in this regard.

"You have to proceed step by step. There should be compassion for the people. To make a change, you have to take a risk, you have to sacrifice something. The country is one's own, it must be claimed," he said.

Referring to the high unemployment rate among educated youth in the country, he said it was high due to lack of quality education.

Debapriya also said drug addiction, depression and extremism were creeping up in today's youth and these had to be dealt with.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, global vice president and country director of The Hunger Project, said, "The more young people there are in a society, the more potential it has. There are more risk takers in that society. Where there is more youth, there is more creativity. These young people need to be prepared. They should be trained with quality education."

There have been many movements in recent times including the safe road movement which were successful, he said, adding that far-reaching changes could be made through bridging small initiatives with reforms.

"Be active and vocal in your role as a citizen. To change the structure of the state, one must fulfill their civic duty," he said.

Deputy Director of Focal Point SDG Cell of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Alamgir Hossain and British Council Inclusive Communities, Programmes, Project Manager Abdur Rahman Khan also spoke at the event where the youth described their different work experiences.