Dhaka, Oct 3 (UNB) - Speakers at a discussion on Thursday highlighted the importance of empowering Generation Z with tools for leadership, innovation and inclusivity, as they hold the key to shaping a future rooted in transparency, accountability and sustainable progress.
 
Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) organised the policy cafe on 'Bangladesh 2.0: Vision of Gen-Z' in Dhaka recently.
 
Moderating the discussion, BIPSS President Major General ANM Muniruzzaman (Retd) highlighted that over one-third of Bangladesh's population now belongs to Generation Z.
 
He highlighted the 16-year tenure of the previous government, describing it as a prolonged period characterised by autocracy and fascism.
 
Looking ahead, he emphasised the critical need to empower Generation Z with the tools for leadership, innovation, and inclusivity as they hold the key to shaping a future rooted in transparency, accountability, and sustainable progress.
 
The panel comprising Nazifa Jannat, Coordinator, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement; Nayem Abedin, Organising Wing, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement; and Sadique Al Aman, Coordinator, Anti-Discrimination Student Wing were the respected speakers who shared their knowledge and perspectives regarding the discussion topic.
 
Shafqat Munir, Senior Research Fellow and Head of BCTR at BIPSS, described the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh, referring to it as the 'Monsoon Revolution,' as the first successful movement led by Generation Z.
 
He highlighted the crucial role of students in ousting the former autocratic regime and stressed the need for a forward-looking mindset to build a new Bangladesh.
 
BIPSS has worked with the youth for a long time and have regularly invited young guests to our events to ensure that the voices of youth are heard.
 
During the interactive session, attendees, including journalists, academicians, students, representatives from various organisations, and ambassadors engaged in a robust discussion on key issues such as ensuring the rule of law, constitutional amendments, safeguarding national security and upholding sovereignty, according to BIPSS.
 
They also addressed the critical need to strengthen the economy, manage political instability and combat the growing commercialisation of education.
 
Participants, including ambassadors, defense personnel, journalists, academicians, and students, shared diverse perspectives on these challenges.
 
Muniruzzaman (Retd) said the future belongs to Gen-Z, underlining the importance of collaborative efforts to secure a prosperous and stable future for Bangladesh.
 
Sadique Al Aman, Coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Wing, highlighted the suppression faced under the previous regime and noted that private university students, who do not prioritize the BCS examination, joined the movement when public universities were abruptly shut down on July 17 by government order.
 
He envisioned a new Bangladesh built on accountability, transparency, good governance, democracy, and freedom of speech, emphasising the need for reforms in the electoral system, judiciary, and political culture.
 
Aman also stressed the importance of reshaping foreign policy and addressing disparities between public and private universities.
 
He urged the interim government to end mob justice and, quoting Che Guevara, declared, "We want peace, but if our rights are invaded, we will fight again.
 
Nayem Abedin, from the Organising Wing of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, condemned the previous governments and law enforcement's torture, noting that Buet student Abrar Fahad's fate might have been different had the July revolution occurred ten years earlier.
 
He attributed the movement's success to the widespread participation of all societal groups and emphasised that freedom of speech should not provoke hatred, with all ethnicities deserving the right to life.
 
He called for greater youth involvement in government projects and policy-making.
 
Abedin urged the interim government to prioritize treatment for injured movement participants, pursue structural and political reforms, focus on technology-oriented education reforms, and ensure the reestablishment of law and order.
 
He also explained the need for a proper election before addressing constitutional reform.
 
Nazifa Jannat, Coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Wing reflected on the July revolution, highlighting both its significance and its brutality, noting that participants faced the very real threat of death.
 
She described the movement as not only a story of success but also one of trauma.
 
Nafiza stressed the importance of creating a global impression of Bangladesh to secure its democratic future, and prioritized reforms in agriculture, social safety, and political literacy.
 
She expressed the hope for the interim government to adopt reliable policies, organise youth-centric conventions and undertake constitutional reforms.
 
END/UNB/MK/SAM/2245 hrs