DHAKA, Oct 31, 2022 (BSS) - The National Youth Day 2021 will be observed through various programmes across the country tomorrow. 

With the aim of building 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and keeping in mind the efficiency, creativity, self-confidence and enthusiasm of the youths, this year's theme of the day is Proshikkhito Jubo Unnato Desh, Bangabandhu'r Bangladesh'.

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the country's youth society and wished all the programmes of the day a success.

In his message, President M Abdul Hamid said the large part of the country's population is youth aged between 18 and 35, and the trend will continue till 2043.

He said this demographic dividend should be utilized to attain UN declared Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and build Bangladesh a happy, prosperous and developed nation by 2041.

The Department of Youth Development is providing skill enhancement training to the youths to make them fully skilled, modern and conscious while many of them have already emerged as successful ones, the President added.

Noting that a society of meritorious, skilled and ideal youths is the backbone of the nation, Hamid said many of the trained up youth have taken employment opportunities abroad and they are earning remittance for the country. 

"Therefore, the stance of the youths should be against all kinds of injustices as well as drug abuse, terrorism and militancy," he said, adding that their (youth) sense of duty and compassion towards the people of the country should always be kept wakeful.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said responding to the call of the greatest Bengali of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; the youths took part in the Liberation War putting their lives in risks and created the new country of red and green, making the supreme sacrifice. 

He (Bangabandhu) organised the youth instilling the patriotism among them, she said, adding that the Father of the Nation also engaged the youths in rebuilding the country after the independence and took initiatives and formulated frameworks for creating an educated and skilled youth society.

The anti-liberation forces made an ill attempt to push the youths to terrorism, anarchy and violence after brutally killing Bangabandhu along with his most of the family members on August 15 in 1975, the premier said. 

She said assuming the state power in 1996, the Awami League government took and implemented various initiatives following the footsteps of Bangabandhu to engage the youths in the mainstream of development.

Later, since attaining victory in 2008 general elections, the government has been continuing imparting multifaceted trainings to youths in technological, technical, vocational and agriculture-based arena to turn them into skilled manpower, Sheikh Hasina added.

She said her government has brought scopes for self-employment for youths by providing collateral-free youth loans.

The Prime Minister said the government has formulated the 'Youth Welfare Fund Act, 2016' under which so far 14,668 youth organizations have been given grants of Taka 27 crore 77 lakh 86 thousand.

She said in order to involve the voluntary youth organizations in socio-economic development and public awareness activities, the Youth Organizations (Registration and Management) Act, 2015 and the Youth Organizations (Registration and Management) Rules, 2017 have been formulated.

The 'National Youth Council Rules-2021', the 'National Youth Policy-2017', 'Youth Action Plan', 'Youth Development Index' and 'Youth Entrepreneur Policy' have been formulated to empower the youths, the Premier added. 

Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Youth Development has been established in Savar, outskirt of the capital, with the aim of ensuring social growth, leadership, talent development, empowerment and employment of the youth, she said, adding that the process of forming the National Youth Council at the district and upazila levels is underway.