Youths vow to fight against graft
Participants at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day Dhaka YES Conference 2013 at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University yesterday. Transparency International, Bangladesh organised the conference to sensitise the young people to TIB's anti-corruption movement. Story on Page 3. Photo: Star
Several hundred youths yesterday took an oath to actively participate in the efforts to create a social movement for fighting against corruption in the country.
As successors of freedom fighters and being the future nation builders, they pledged to defend the spirit of the country's Liberation War, sovereignty, and cultural identity with highest respect.
The vows came from the inaugural session of the two-day Dhaka Youth Engagement and Support (YES) Conference 2013 at the Dhaka University senate building.
Around 400 young individuals, mostly students from Dhaka and different parts of the country, are taking part in the conference hosted by Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB).
In order to build a better Bangladesh, they committed to respecting the country's laws and working for ensuring equal rights of all and mitigating discriminations in society.
The keynote speaker, Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, termed this struggle "difficult, challenging and sometimes frustrating". "But the struggle must go on," he said.
In his speech entitled “Youth, Integrity and Leadership”, Mahfuz Anam described the youths' leadership and contributions in nation building as “integral”, and urged them to become true individuals through loving the motherland above all.
“I want to put the word 'motherland' above all. You would be blessed with a lot of opportunities at home and abroad. You would be doctors and engineers in the future. But remember, your life will be deemed unsuccessful if your achievements don't reflect in building the nation.”
He said a good political practice was a must to bring changes in society but it did not necessarily mean that one would have to get involved in active politics to do that.
One has to change him/her first to bring changes in society, Mahfuz Anam said, and advised the youths to recognise the country's achievements and feel proud of those.
In order to fight against corruption, DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, the chief guest, advised the youths to enlighten themselves on pragmatic and scientific knowledge.
Citing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's call for "turning every house into a fortress", TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman urged the youths to create such fortresses in their houses to wipe out corruption from the country.
Rezwan-ul-Alam, director, Outreach and Communication, and Prof Sumaiya Khair, deputy executive director, TIB, among others, attended the inaugural session. Photo on page 5.
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