SDG Campaign
‘Discrimination cannot be removed without a change in mindset’
The campaign began with an event in Rajshahi on 19 November. Later there were other activities in Chattogram and Dhaka as well.
The tea gardens in Sylhet are plagued with various problems. Different crises are disrupting the education of children of the tea workers' families here. There is a crisis of teachers and schools as well.
Tea workers’ children need to be educated and brought into the mainstream for the sake of social equity.
That’s how Mita Goala expressed her opinion during the free discussion session of the campaign on United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in Sylhet.
Mita, a resident of Lakkatura tea garden in Sylhet Sadar Upazila, took the secondary school certificate examination this year.
Prothom Alo and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) jointly organised the programme, ‘SDG Campaign-2022: Need for youth and women representation,’ on Saturday.
Prothom Alo Bondhushava assisted in organising the event. The campaign started on with an event in Rajshahi on 19 November. Later, there are programmes on this issue in Chattogram and lastly in Dhaka.
Women have to become economically self-reliant. Women have to fight continuously to achieve economic emancipation. Nonetheless, we are moving ahead towards implementing the SDG.Sharnalata Roy, president, Sylhet Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The event began with a procession starting from district Shilpakala Academy at Gorer Purbo Shahi Eidgah area in the city at around 9.30am.
Several hundred people from different walks of life took part in the procession, carrying placards with SDG-slogans.
After parading different streets of the area, the procession returned to the Shilpakala Academy where a discussion was held later.
Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman wished success to the campaign in a video message, during the event.
He said he has been with the initiative till now and pledged to be there in future as well. The endeavor is crucial for women and youth of the country.
Sylhet Agricultural University vice-chancellor Md Jamal Uddin Bhuiyan was the chief guest of the programme.
Among others, Sylhet Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sharnalata Roy, UNDP Bangladesh chief technical advisor Fakhrul Ahsan, Prothom Alo assistant editor Firoz Choudhury and UNDP’s SC4SDG project associate Farhana Razzaque spoke at the time.
No matter how much money the government pours in, it’s impossible to implement the SDG if the youth and women cannot be involved in these activities, said UNDP Bangladesh chief technical advisor Fakhrul Ahsan.
Prothom Alo staff correspondent in Sylhet Suman Kumar Das, Prothom Alo Bondhushava National Board of Directors president Uttam Roy and Bondhushava Sylhet president Humaira Zakia were also present there.
Bondhushava executive president Mousumi Mou and advisor Falguni Mazumder moderated the session.
Jamal Uddin Bhuiyan said, discrimination cannot be eliminated unless there’s a change of mindset. Actually, the issue of gender discrimination in many cases starts from the family.
Women are not getting equal opportunities at work either. Ability to implement SDG has to be demonstrated. If the youth try this with sincerity, success is sure to come, he added.
Sharnalata Roy said, “Women have to become economically self-reliant. Women have to fight continuously to achieve economic emancipation. Nonetheless, we are moving ahead towards implementing the SDG.”
Fakhrul Ahsan said that the government cannot implement the SDG alone. For that, private initiative is required. And, the youth have to take the lead on that.
Mentioning that women conmprise at least 50 per cent of the country’s total population Firoz Choudhury said, the trend of development cannot be retained by leaving this population behind.
No matter how much money the government pours in, it’s impossible to implement the SDG if the youth and women cannot be involved in these activities, he added.
Mentioning that women comprise at least 50 per cent of the country’s total population Firoz Choudhury said, the trend of development cannot be retained by leaving this population behind.
Making just the girls aware of it won’t do, boys also need to be made aware, he added.
There were 430 youth and women present at the event. Apart from Mymensingh, Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Bhairab, Trishal’s Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul University, Sylhet’s MC College, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and Metropolitan University Bondhushava members, transgender and Harijan community members, wheelchair-users and tea workers were present there.
Later, an SDG-themed drawing competition was held in the participation of more than 50 students. Shamsul Basit Shero, Marzia Hossain, Moumita Dey and Ripon Kumar Chand were the judges of the competition.
There was also a public debate. Al Asad Md Mahmudul Islam was the judge in Barwari debate competition. Mahmudul Islam, Falguni Mazumder, Hasan Mahmud and Shafin Uz Zaman.
The winners of the drawing competition were Rudra Roy, Yana Jahan and Shreyasi Das while, Mahura Mrinmoy, Tahsin Rahman and Fariha Malihat Chowdhury won the debate competition.
Sylhet district cultural affairs officer Asit Baran Dasgupta handed over awards to the winners of the painting competition later in the afternoon.
At the end of the cultural session, students from the tea garden performed stick dance along with performances from the Bondhushava members.
In addition, there were musical performances from Jayita Talukder.