The government is working to formulate a policy giving importance to volunteers irrespective of age so that anyone can work as a volunteer from the country and abroad if they want.
Kamrul Hasan, Secretary Ministry of Relief and Disaster Management said this while speaking as the chief guest on a program to mark World Volunteer Day. The volunteer organization Voluntary Service Overseas, Bangladesh (VSO) held at the Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of Dhaka University on Thursday to mark World Volunteer Day. The theme of World Volunteer Day this year is “Everything for Everyone”.
He said, “Different types of disasters occur at different times. Our volunteers are standing by the people in all disasters. If the volunteers did not work with their hearts, we would not have been successful.”
At the event, 21 volunteers were honored for their volunteer work.
The program was inaugurated by the Honorable Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan. VSO Bangladesh Country Director Khabirul Haque Kamal, Manikhar Rahman, Director (Training) of the Directorate of Youth Development, and Moinul Islam, Director of the NGO Affairs Bureau also spoke in the program.
“It is not possible for the government to deal with disasters alone. During the last flood, the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement worked with their lives. We come forward unitedly and work in any disaster,” he pointed out.
Director of the Directorate of Youth Development Manikhar Rahman said, the government has taken the initiative to train 9 lakh people by NGOs. If this can be completed successfully, the common people will benefit a lot.
He said the directorate of youth has trained 72 lakh so far. Out of these, 23 lakh people have become entrepreneurs. The main goal of the government is to employ one person if two people are trained.
Youth Development provides training from 7 days to six months. The government is working to increase this, he said.
VSO Country Director Kamal said many volunteers are currently working in Bangladesh.
“If we want to build a beautiful country in the future, volunteers will have to come forward. If all the volunteers can work together, it is possible to take the country to a place of prosperity,” he pointed out.
He said that VSO has organized an event with about 500 volunteers, and such an event will be organized on a larger scale in the future.
In addition, other speakers included National Youth Forum President Dr. Arman Hossain, Dhaka University Bangladesh Kuwait Friendship Hall Debate Club President Rehnuma Ridi, Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies Director Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Country Director Dr. Rudaba Khandaker, British Council Country Director Stephen Roland Forbes, UNFPA Country Representative Masaki Watabe, First Secretary of the Swedish Embassy Nyoka Martinez Backstrom and Ambassador of the Netherlands Embassy, Andre Carstens. VSO Bangladesh Project Manager Md. Shafiqur Rahman expressed his gratitude at the event.