Youth wellness in focus: insights from the 2025 festival survey

Dhaka Flow's Second National Youth Wellness Festival 2025 brought together students from ten top universities in Bangladesh to explore mental health, emotional wellbeing, and sustainable living. Key messages included: "Healing is cool, seeking help is courageous, and movement is critical."

A large-scale survey conducted during the festival revealed youth realities—stressing both urgent challenges and powerful potential. Reaching hundreds of students aged 19–24, primarily from Computer Science & Engineering (25.3%) and Business Administration (24.1%), the data showed 35% feel stressed daily and 20.8% feel mentally overwhelmed every day. Nearly a quarter sleep only 5–6 hours per night.

Despite these struggles, 85% of students actively participate in climate-positive actions, and 75% feel confident leading community change. Yet emotional isolation remains: 19% feel lonely often, and 28.6% lack a safe space for creative expression. While 43% engage in moderate physical activity, 12% are sedentary. Abuse is a key issue, with over 11% reporting regular experiences.

The report offers concrete recommendations: policymakers should fund campus-based mental health programmes and expand access to green spaces; universities must enhance counselling and create 24/7 wellness zones. Curriculum designers should integrate emotional intelligence and sustainability, while companies can offer flexible internships and wellness benefits.

Students are urged to build peer support networks and prioritise self-care. Media must promote youth-led change and reject burnout culture.

Bangladesh's future depends on empowered youth. Let us ensure their journey is not only ambitious—but supported, sustainable, and whole.