The Strengthening Political Landscape project financed by the UK and USA, implemented by Democracy International (DI), Sunday awarded certificates to 23 young political leaders from across Bangladesh at a "Young Leaders' Fellowship Programme" graduation ceremony in the city.
The graduates are affiliated with Bangladesh Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jatiya Party (JaPa).
Graduating fellows completed four-month training on different aspects of political leadership, democratic processes, and tolerance.
They also implemented joint field assignments solving community issues and demonstrating cross-party cooperation.
This is the 15th class of young leaders graduating from the Young Leaders Fellowship Program (YLFP), which is made possible through support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, and implemented by DI. With the inclusion of these 23 young leaders, 374 fellows matriculated through the programme.
At the graduation ceremony AL Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, BNP Organising Secretary Emran Saleh Prince, Jatiya Party Joint Secretary Golam Mohammad Raju, USAID Deputy Mission Director in Bangladesh Randy Ali, and DI's Chief of Party Dana L Olds handed over certificates to the fellows.
The leaders voiced their sincere support for empowering youth leadership in parties to build a more inclusive political landscape in Bangladesh.
Dana Olds said: "During the fellowship programme you forged relationships across parties, and worked together to address citizens' priority concerns; and, in the process learned that while you are competitors, you are not enemies."