61 awarded for contribution to politics

Democracy International (DI) has honoured 61 local young and women leaders for their contribution to political arena through establishing democratic practices and participatory politics in respective localities. The US-abased think tank conferred the awards styled “Champions of Democracy” on the leaders from Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party under its Democratic Participation and Reform (DPR) project at a programme in Dhaka, says a press release. The organisation also inaugurated a five-year-long project called Strengthening Political Landscape, jointly funded by USAID and UK Aid, at the event. Chief of Party for DI in Bangladesh Katie Croake expressing her satisfaction over the development of politics by the youths and women in Bangladesh said the project would help continue the situation. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Political Adviser HT Imam admired the young and women leaders for their growing contribution to politics, with many of them already holding important posts in respective party. BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moin Khan said women should be largely encouraged to run in elections as the reserved seats for them are not enough to ensure their empowerment in Bangladesh. In the last six years, more than 2.5 lakh grassroots political leaders from 62 districts were linked to democratic participation and reforms under the DPR project.