Monipur High School, Adamjee Cantonment College, IBA win Civil Discourse Nationals

Monipur High School, Adamjee Cantonment College and the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) emerged champions in their respective categories at the Civil Discourse Nationals debate competition.

The closing ceremony of the competition, jointly organised by The Bangladesh Dialogue and the Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Debating Club (AUSTDC), was held at the AUST auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday (29 July).

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attended the programme as chief guest and handed over awards to the champion and runner-up teams.

The competition began on 24 July, with 46 teams participating in the school and college categories and 36 teams in the university category.

At the school level, Monipur High School became champion, while Ideal School finished as runner-up. Adamjee Cantonment College won the college category, with Dhaka Residential Model College securing the runner-up position. In the university category, the IBA debate team emerged champion and North South University finished runner-up.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mirza Fakhrul said young people across the country were demonstrating their talent and capabilities and should be provided with greater opportunities and support. Despite economic challenges, global uncertainties and financing constraints, the country's young people remained its greatest asset, he said. "Our greatest asset is the strength of our youth, their unyielding determination and their dream of taking Bangladesh forward," he added.

Rubayet Mannan Rafi, president of The Bangladesh Dialogue Foundation, presided over the programme. He said debate teaches participants to question their own positions, think logically and respect differing opinions. "The greatest achievement in debate is not a trophy. It is learning to question one's own position, reason through an issue and respect differing views," he said.

Rafi said The Bangladesh Dialogue had organised Civil Discourse Nationals for the second consecutive year to promote a culture of reasoned, respectful and constructive dialogue among young people. AUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Ashraful Haque attended the event as a special speaker. Other guests included AUST Board of Trustees Chairman Professor Golam Rahman, IDR Chairperson Mir Nadia Nivin and Dhaka University law professor Dr Nazmuzzaman Bhuiyan.

Earlier in the day, The Bangladesh Dialogue launched "Klima," its new environment-focused organisation, through the fourth edition of TBD Lens. The programme ended with a concert titled "Almost Friday," organised by Chords, the cultural wing of The Bangladesh Dialogue.