32 university students get fellowship to conduct research on COVID-19

Dhaka University-based ‘SAVE Youth Bangladesh’ has offered Youth Promise Fellowship for 32 youth researchers to conduct social research on COVID-19 in the country.

The researches or programs will be conducted by students of country’s nine public universities on the different aspects of socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on society with an aim to inspire and engage the youths as agents of change in the communities.

The Youth Promise Fellowship program is being implemented by SAVE Youth Bangladesh and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), funded by UKaid.

Conducting the research project, the students will be promoting counter-messages in preventing misinformation, rumor, hate speech, and social stigma related to COVID-19, said Aynul Islam, moderator of the project also associate professor of Dhaka University.

This fellowship will empower students’ voice and promote counter-message against COVID-19 related social stigma, rumour, and hate speech, he added.

This fellowship provides students with financial support of Tk 5,000 per month initially for six months starting from today (24 April).

The support will be increased in future based on their performance, said Aynul Islam.

The findings of the study can be used to solve various problems of society in future, said Amina Yasmin, a fellowship recipient of Barishal University.

It would also help the students utilise the time during the lockdown period which made them worried about their studies, she added.

“Many youths, interested to work for the country, are seen to fall back from such work due to financial crisis but I think it would be a blessing for them,” said Mahtab Uddin, a fellowship recipient of Chittagong University.

“I have been working as a volunteer from the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak. This fellowship will encourage me to work for the community,” he added.

“Such type of opportunity is rare for us and it would help me to work for the marginal people of our area,” said Tuhin Chakma, another facilitated student of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The awarded 32 students are from Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Barishal University, Islamic University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University and Jagannath University.