The government of Bangladesh is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against child marriage, child labour, exploitation and trafficking, while expanding opportunities for education and skills development, Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain said on Wednesday.
He was speaking at the first day of ‘International Youth Day 2026’ celebrations, jointly organised by Save the Children’s SWOCCHAR Project and the National Youth Network at Aloki Convention Centre the capital of Dhaka, said a press release.
The minister said the government was prioritising the development, protection and empowerment of young people, stressing the need to create greater opportunities for young women in education, entrepreneurship and leadership.
Zahid called for collective efforts by the government, private sector, civil society and development partners to ensure that young people were not merely beneficiaries of development programmes but active participants in policymaking.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Advancing Youth through Multilateral Cooperation with Technology and Partnership.” The first day focused on youth leadership, economic empowerment, innovation and social responsibility.
First Secretary of the Netherlands Embassy Jaouad Azaoui attended as special guest. Representatives from Save the Children, the National Youth Network and women-led organisations also participated.
One of the key sessions focused on youth organisational development, economic empowerment and innovation, with special emphasis on young women’s participation in decision-making.
The second day of the programme will be held on Thursday, featuring a high-level national youth leadership and policy dialogue, six thematic sessions, an award conferring ceremony and the presentation of a youth declaration, the press release dded.
