25 young leaders from 3 parties graduate from Democracy International

Twenty-five young political leaders from the Awami League, BNP and Jatiya party graduated from the USAID-funded Strengthening Political Landscape Young Leaders Fellowship Program (YLFP), implemented by Democracy International (DI), from across Bangladesh at a YLFP graduation ceremony organized in Dhaka on February 20.

These graduates are active leaders of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Jatiyotabadi Dal (BNP), and Jatiyo Party (JaPa). 

The young politicians received comprehensive training over four months, covering a wide range of topics including politics, leadership, democratic practices, conflict mitigation, political party building and media relations. 

To date, 561 young leaders have successfully completed the program. 

The Young Leaders Fellowship Program aims to improve the political skills of young leaders, propel their careers within respective parties, and foster understanding between leaders of different political affiliations. 

The program creates a professional network that can help bridge the divide in the polarized political landscape of Bangladesh. The YLFP is widely acclaimed among young political leaders in Bangladesh, offering a rare opportunity to acquire knowledge and training in leadership and politics that is not commonly available.  

During the intensive four-month program, participants received detailed training on leadership skills, political practices, conflict resolution, team building and media relations. Additionally, the members collaborated across party lines to address local issues, such as the installation of deep tube wells in underdeveloped areas of Meherpur and Mymensingh, waste management and installation of 500 dustbins in Sylhet, dengue eradication campaigns in the Chandpur municipality area, and pond cleaning initiatives in Patuakhali, among others.

Central leaders from the three main parties attended the graduation ceremony, including Bangladesh Awami League Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, BNP National Executive Committee Training Affairs Secretary ABM Mosharraf Hossain, and Jatiya Party Presidium Member Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary. Emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the nation's interests, they commended the collaborative efforts of political parties in the fellowship program towards serving the citizen of the country.
In her closing remarks, Dana L. Olds, Chief of Party of the SPL project at Democracy International, highlighted the significance of cross-party collaboration and collective action in addressing societal needs. "The collaboration and collective initiative between leaders from different political parties participating in the fellowship program and working together for the common people in their own districts prove that positive, people-oriented politics is possible," said Dana.