Non-violence & Rebuilding Peace: Challenges And Way Forward

World Peace Day was observed on September 21 by Junior Chamber International (JCI), Bangladesh. A roundtable discussion titled NON-VIOLENCE & REBUILDING PEACE: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD was arranged at The Daily Star Centre's Azimur Rahman Hall. JCI is an international organisation of young professionals and leaders aged between 18 and 40. It operates across 120 countries and has 200,000 members worldwide. JCI contributes to the advancement of the global community by providing opportunities for young people to develop the leadership skills, social responsi­bility, fellowship, and entrepreneurship necessary to create positive impact.

The list of the designated speakers comprised of renowned personalities from various fields including researchers, academicians, youth activists, lawyers, civil society leaders, law enforcement personnel and journalists. The discussants included Jamil Ahmed, CEO, Journalism Training & Research Institute (JATRI) Bangladesh, who was also the moderator during the session; Fayaz Atiqul Islam, National President, JCI; Khushi Kabir, Secretary, Nijerai Kori; Farah Kabir, Country Director, ActionAid Bangladesh; Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director, Transparency International Bangladesh; Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Editor-In-Chief, GTV; Asma Afrin Haque, Monitoring and Reporting Analyst, Women, Peace & Security, UN Women and Munir Hasan, Coordinator, Youth Programme, Prothom Alo. Dr Abdun Noor Tushar, CEO, Nagorik TV; Shamima Islam Tusty, President, Aamra Manush Foundation; Kazi Ali Reza, Director, Dhaka Ahsania Mission; Wahiduzzaman Noor, BPM Senior Assistant Police Commissioner, Counter Terrorism Division, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime, Dhaka Metropolitan Police; Dr Md Zahid Ul Arefin Choudhury, Associate Professor, Department of Peace & Conflict Studies, Dhaka University and Ms Tasnuva Ahmed, Head of Operations, Colors FM were also a part of the discussion.

The intensive dialogue focused on the means to cope with violence and the credible policies that could be implemented to rebuild and sustain peace in Bangladesh. Topics that were heavily emphasised upon were violence against women, fanaticism, freedom, democracy and human rights. At the end of the event, Fayaz Atiqul Islam, National President of JCI handed over crests to the speakers. The Daily Star, along with Nagorik TV and Radio Next were the media partners of the programme.