The ‘Festival of Youth 2025,’ which started on December 30 last year to motivate youth empowerment with a theme of ‘Let’s change the country, change the world,’ is coming to an end on Wednesday, said a press release from the chief adviser’s Press Wing on Monday.
There were hundreds of programmes held in various upazilas, districts, and divisions where at least 71,66,473 youths—27,42,171 of them women and 44,24,302 men—have directly participated in the festivities in a total of 13,711 events as part of the festival, of which 2,931 were sports and cultural events for women.
The festival kicked off with the 11th Bangladesh Premier League, which came to an end on February 7. Three music fests were held in three venues in BPL. The zero waste campaign that was run throughout the tournament attracted the fans and increased the awareness.
Besides that, there was a national school cricket tournament where 350 schools participated along with an inter-university cricket tournament comprising 56 universities.
An Under-17 football tournament was also held by the district sports office under the supervision of the Directorate of Sports, where at least 25,600 girls participated in 855 matches.
As part of this festival, the Bangladesh Football Federation organised a day-long football competition in Sylhet with the participation of tea workers and Khasia communities, beach football in Cox's Bazar, U-15 football tournaments in 64 districts, an amputee football festival, and four-day training for underprivileged female footballers in three hill districts to create interest in football, a football festival in the char areas of Sirajganj, friendly football matches with young diplomats from various embassies in Dhaka, etc.
The Bangladesh Archery Federation organised an open archery competition in six districts and at the national level at the Paltan Maidan in Dhaka; the Bangladesh Taekwondo Federation organised a taekwondo competition in Dhaka with the participation of 400 men and women, and taekwondo displays in Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, children's and teenagers' taekwondo competitions; and the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation organised a knockout-based youth kabaddi (under-18 boys and girls) competition from the union level to the national level across the country.
All 56 sports federations and associations organised various events around this festival across the country.
Activities such as Kabaddi, Daria Bandha, Bauchi, Gollachut, Kite Flying Festival, Roller Skating, Cycling, Sixers Cricket Tournament, Mini Marathon, Sports Competition for Children with Special Needs, Organisation of Folk Cultural Programmes, Karupanya Mela and Pitha Festival, Nazrul Sangeet Sandhya, Graffiti and Painting Competition on July 36, Story Telling of Martyrs, Debate Competition, Essay Competition, Quiz Competition, Book Reading, Recitation, Spelling Competition, Presented Speech, Discussion Programme, Science Quiz, Programming Competition, Publication of Wall Magazine, Digital Literacy Campaign, Distribution of Winter Clothes, Tree Planting, Cleanliness Campaign, Formation of Zero Waste Brigade, Awareness and Workshop on Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer, Youth Entrepreneur Gathering, and Free Primary Health Care Camp were organised as part of this festival.
To make the youth festival participatory and lively, young students of the universities are involved in this festival. This youth festival is celebrated in a very joyful atmosphere in various government and private universities, including Dhaka University.
A youth entrepreneur fair, youth gathering, debate on entrepreneurship development, case competition, international nutrition Olympiad, discussion program, pitha festival, cultural evening, and youth concert are held at the Dhaka University playground. Other public universities also undertake similar programmes.
The ministry of environment and climate affairs takes various initiatives to increase environmental awareness at various venues during the festival.
The festival is celebrated with the participation of all stakeholders of the society. Under the direct supervision of the Office of the chief adviser, under the management of the ministry of youth and sports, all the ministries, divisions, offices, organisations, and sports organisations, ‘Tarunyar Utsab 2025’ plays a significant role in spreading the message of the new Bangladesh.
Youth and sports adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, the convener of the National Committee for the Celebration of the Youth Festival, inaugurated the Youth Festival. Later, the countdown to the Youth Festival began simultaneously across the country, which ended at midnight on December 29.
The passion was palpable as the festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fanfare across the country. Through the Youth Festival, the youth showed their unity and cooperation that was imperative to build the country from scratch.
Young people were motivated to be self-employed and became entrepreneurs so that they could develop themselves as an asset of the country.
Various activities were taken to create awareness about the latent talents and unidentified potentials amongst the youth. These activities are working as a platform to inspire the youth.
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