Adviser Touhid Hossain stresses education, youth prospects for nation building

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today (29 August) laid emphasis on building the country and institutions with an improved education system and improving the prospects of the young generation, stressing that the political culture has to change.

While speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day "Bengal Delta Conference 2025" organised by the Dacca Institute of Research and Analytics (daira), he said it is natural that the political parties would like to come to power, but there should be efforts towards building the country and its institutions.

"Politics is still in the hands of our generation of politicians," Touhid said, adding that the young generation will gain experience in the next 10 to 15 years and will be able to make basic changes.

"I am absolutely confident that the young generation will make basic changes in the system," he said, adding, "They (youths) may make mistakes along the way, but with time and experience, they will build a stronger and fairer political culture."

Highlighting the importance of gaining knowledge and skills, Touhid said, "We need to learn. If you have proper knowledge, skills and training, the sky is the limit across the world and within the country."

He said the most important thing for a country like Bangladesh with a huge population but limited resources is education.

The adviser said a very small portion of the population receives quality education and that the education system in rural areas is in a terrible shape.

"This is one area we need to do a lot. We must do something for higher education too," he said as he emphasised the need to redefine political culture.

Touhid also reflected on the July Uprising and remembered those who sacrificed their lives for a change.

Dr Mushtaq H Khan, professor of economics, SOAS University, London, delivered welcome remarks at the session.

Prof Dr Maszlee bin Malik, chairman, International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS); Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, advisory board member, Bengal Delta Conference 2025, and also vice-chancellor,
University of Dhaka; Dr Dipak Gyawali, former minister of water resources, Nepal; and Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher, The Daily Star, spoke among others.

Touhid highlighted the significance of the July Uprising in Bangladesh's political history, saying that the youths of Bangladesh will not allow the country to return to the political reality of pre-2024.

He also addressed issues such as the Ukraine war, genocide in Gaza, Israel-US-Iran relations and the global context of US tariffs.

Professor Dr Maszlee bin Malik, former education minister of Malaysia, said Bangladesh could become a beacon of hope for the Global South.

He praised Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus for his leadership.

He emphasised the need for Bangladesh to shift from a labour-based economy to a knowledge-based economy and discussed the potential for Bangladesh's ocean-centred economy.

Malik also highlighted the positive prospects for Bangladesh's future relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), saying, "Bangladesh will find Asean by its side in resolving the Rohingya crisis."

Dipak Gyawali, former minister of water resources of Nepal, spoke about the significance of Bangladesh's mass uprising, saying, "The people's uprising in Bangladesh is not only a milestone for the delta but for the entire South Asian region."

He stressed that alongside democracy, good governance is also crucial for the state.

Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka, said the delta has not received adequate academic attention, making daira's initiative highly significant.

Siddharth Varadarajan, founder and editor of the India-based online media The Wire, said the path Bangladesh is currently on has global implications.

"However, the country's biggest weakness is economic inequality."

Mahfuz Anam, reflecting on the political trajectory of the country, said, "Bangladesh's biggest problem is that politicians use democracy as a ladder to enter parliament.

Prof Mushtaq Khan, reflecting on the hardships faced by students under the previous fascist regime and their subsequent activism post-uprising, welcomed daira's initiative.

He discussed Bangladesh's politics and geopolitics, stating, "Politics must be open. We must rethink the sources of political party funding."

He emphasised that the uprising has made it clear to politicians that returning to the old political settlement is impossible, as the people will no longer accept it.

This year's conference theme was "Bangladesh at Crossroads: Rethinking Politics, Economics and Geopolitical Strategy."

The opening session of the conference began with the national anthem and a minute of silence to remember the martyrs of the July Uprising.

The session was chaired by Shehrin Amin Bhuiya, assistant professor of public administration at the University of Dhaka.

A documentary on the July Uprising and the broader socio-political context of Bangladesh was presented on behalf of daira during this time.

The Dacca Institute of Research and Analytics (daira) is a Dhaka-based think tank dedicated to the production and advancement of knowledge about the Bengal Delta.

The institute focuses on understanding the socio-political, economic and cultural dynamics of Bangladesh in both regional and global contexts.