Govt to revise national youth policy

The government is going to revise the national youth policy prioritising eight specific sectors including empowering youths by providing them with education, training and jobs.

The government has already prepared a draft of National Youth Policy-2015 and now taking opinions of different stakeholders to develop it further.

The officials, who are involved in the drafting, disseminated information about the draft policy at a stakeholders' views exchange meeting yesterday.

The Directorate of Youth Development (DYD), and Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) jointly organised the programme at Jubo Bhaban in the capital's Motijheel.

DYD Director General Anwarul Karim said the previous youth policy was enacted in 2003 but it needs to be changed to make it time befitting.

Ejaj Ahmad, president of BYLC and principal consultant for National Youth Policy-2015, said they had tried their best to have the policy reflect the needs and aspirations of the country's youths so that they could be adequately prepared to take on the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Nur Mohammad, secretary to the youth and sports ministry, said more than one-third of the country's population are youths, which is a very positive thing for a country.

Their potentiality has to be used for development, he said, adding that after approval of the policy, they would try to implement it.

The other priorities in the draft policy are health and recreation, good governance, sustainable development, comprehensive development, rebuilding a healthy society, globalisation, research, and survey.