Feature

Dhaka YES Campaign Orientation and Workshop
Preparing the youths
to fight corruption

Tabassum Mokhduma

THREE days of sessions, participation of two hundred young boys and girls, presentations, discussions, group works, sharing of ideas, desire to learn, curiosity to know, dedication and commitment to change were some of the key features of the Dhaka YES Campaign Orientation and Workshop. Participated by 13 Youth Engagement and Support (YES) groups from different universities and colleges of Dhaka Metropolitan area, the workshop took place at Proshika Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC) Trust, Koitta, Manikganj from May 7-9, 2009.

YES, which consists of Transparency International Bangladesh's (TIB) volunteers aged between 14 to 30 years, started its journey in the year 2006 with the slogan “Invincible Youth Shall Surely Resist Corruption”. Presently, YES is spearheading TIB's anti-corruption social movement and its activities are spread all over Bangladesh. Soon after its inception, YES members proved their capacity with some excellent anti-corruption campaigns as well as interventions and had become able to create awareness against corruption in 36 areas of the country where TIB is working. The YES interventions in local areas which also consisted of awareness programmes resulted in significant changes in various service delivery institutions i.e. hospital, thana health complex, school, union parishad etc. Its huge success encouraged TIB to extend YES programme even further as a result of which 15 YES groups have been formed in various educational institutions of Dhaka. The workshop was organized for these newly formed YES groups to give them an orientation about corruption, how it takes place, cost and effects, and most importantly, how and what role they could play in TIB's anti-corruption social movement.

Participated by a large number of YES members from Rokeya Hall, Kuwait Moitri Hall, Department of Management Studies, Institute of Education and Research, Institute of Social Welfare and Research of University of Dhaka (DU), East West University, Northern University, Stamford University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Uttara University, IBAIS University, RAJUK Uttara Model College and Dhaka YES-1, the event kicked off with informal sessions on May 7. Here the new members of the YES family shared their ideas about what they expected from the three-day event, what they could do to combat corruption and create awareness about shortcomings of corruption etc. Participants' different thoughts showed their strong interest to work to make a corruption free country. Day one also included a briefing about different sessions of the workshop to make the best out of every moment of the programme.

The second day of the workshop was perhaps the busiest amongst three. The day started at 9 in the morning with the national anthem and a well choreographed presentation of TIB's theme song “Jago Manush” followed by the welcome speech from the Executive Director of TIB Dr. Iftekharuzzaman. In his speech he welcomed the young fighters for their effective participation in anti-corruption movement in Bangladesh. Highlighting different recent achievements of Bangladesh he said, “If we could have controlled corruption effectively then we could have gone ahead further towards development by eradicating poverty”. He also emphasized on the importance to take up specific initiative to curb graft. He further added that corruption must be eliminated to ensure development of the country and stressed the need for political will and a social movement against corruption. Later, he presented a paper on “Fighting Corruption: Voice, Demand & Accountability-Focusing on YES Movement at Local Area” where he underlined different achievements of YES groups throughout the country and how these warriors can work hand in hand to combat corruption and thus carry out their social responsibilities.

This presentation was followed by speeches from the representatives from the participating educational institutions and advisors of the YES groups. They thanked TIB for taking up this exemplary initiative to groom the YES members and hope that these young lives will move ahead with their inventiveness to uproot corruption from the country. After their speeches, everyone present took an oath to build a corruption-free Bangladesh.

The highlight of the day was the Round Table Discussion on “Durniti Birodhi Andoloney Torun Shomajer Bhumika” (The role of youth in anti-corruption movement). In the discussion, Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, eminent litterateur Selina Hossain, journalist and writer Anisul Hoque, freedom fighter and the trustee of the Liberation War Museum Akku Chowdhury spoke among others.

While facilitating the discussion Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said that youths must come forward to save the country from the malevolence named corruption.

Litterateur Selina Hossain added that youths are the driving force behind the country-wide anti-corruption movement. They can build a new Bangladesh by stamping out corruption. She also said the youths played a vital role in all the national movements in 1952, 1966, 1969 and 1971. They sacrificed their lives for the country's independence and now it is the turn of the next generation to rebuild the nation.

Akku Chowdhury said the freedom fighters dreamt of a corruption-free Bangladesh, but their dream still remains unfulfilled.

Anisul Haque called on the youths to be enlightened, which will help building the country free from corruption. University and college teachers also spoke at the discussion where they urged the young generation to play a more effective role in the anti-corruption movement. They added that the dynamic role of the young generation will encourage others to join fight against corruption.

The last part of the second day also included briefings on the journeys of different YES groups throughout the country, several effective anti-corruption campaigns, open discussions as well as group works where these YES members prepared their annual work plans.

On the final day, the participants came to know in-depth about TIB's anti-corruption movement and research works besides knowing the importance of a code of ethics which is needed not only to make a corruption-free country but also to make a just society. Moreover, there was also a very important sessions where these aspiring youths shared their ideas about gender issues. This very session highlighted the necessities of young women leadership for change in the society. The most interesting part of the day was when Dhaka YES groups presented their annual work plan detailing how they want to fight corruption in their own capacities. This included awareness campaign, programme intervention, publication, blogging and other innovative tools.

In the closing session TIB Executive Director thanked the YES members for making the event fruitful and hoped that they will be triumphant in their mission.

No doubt the workshop was quite eventful, but this endeavor will be successful in true sense when these young lives can materialize their plans to fight corruption and make some positive changes. But to be victorious in this challenge support from the people of all walks of life is needed and these die-hard youths firmly believe that they will surely attain trusts from the masses and achieve their desired goal. After all, it is the invincible youth who can surely resist corruption.