LocationsPolicies Are Stronger When Young People Help Shape Them
June 23, 2026
For two days, debate halls in Dhaka became spaces for something larger than competition. Held on 19 and 20 June 2026, “Dhaka IV: Youth Voices for Social Protection” brought together nearly 400 university students, adjudicators and volunteers from across Bangladesh to discuss the policies shaping their lives and futures.
Around 50 university teams competed through five rounds in British Parliamentary and Asian Parliamentary formats. The debates explored social protection, public spending, employment, climate resilience, unpaid care work, skills development, and institutional responsibility.
In the British Parliamentary final, teams debated whether social impact indicators should become a major basis for determining university rankings. The motion encouraged participants to consider whether universities should be judged only by their academic and economic achievements or also by their contribution to society.
The tournament was organised by the Dhaka University Debating Society in partnership with the Social Security Policy Support Programme of UNDP Bangladesh, with support from the Australian Government. The opening rounds were held at the Faculty of Business Studies of the University of Dhaka on 19 June, while the grand finale and closing ceremony took place on 21 June.
The programme brought together students from different parts of the country, alongside university teachers, policy practitioners, development professionals, and government representatives.
At the opening ceremony, University of Dhaka Proctor, Md. Israfil Ratan spoke about the importance of creating opportunities for young people to discuss issues affecting society and national development.
Around 50 university teams registered in the competition
Tanvir Mahmud, Senior Governance Specialist at UNDP Bangladesh, highlighted how governments must regularly make difficult decisions involving limited resources, public services, and social inclusion. He encouraged participants to bring curiosity, courage, and compassion into public discussions and their future professional roles.
Aminul Arifeen, National Programme Manager of the Social Security Policy Support Programme, described youth participation as an important part of the relationship between citizens and the state.
He also stressed that young people should understand their rights and entitlements, rather than simply receive benefits without having a voice in how policies and programmes are designed.
At the closing ceremony, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon described debate as a creative process that strengthens reasoning, knowledge, and responsible citizenship. He said the government would take necessary initiatives to include debate as a mandatory subject in the education curriculum and bring it under a stronger institutional framework.
The tournament concluded with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology emerging as the champion in the British Parliamentary category. Jahangirnagar University Debating Society won the Asian Parliamentary category. Individual debaters were also recognised for their performances across the two formats.
The event came at an important time for Bangladesh. The National Social Security Strategy 2015–2026, which has guided the country’s social protection system for the past decade, is reaching the end of its current cycle. As preparations begin for its successor, policymakers must respond to technological change, climate risks, informal employment, demographic shifts and new forms of economic uncertainty.
A group of debaters posing for the camera
Young people are directly affected by these changes. They face challenges in moving from education to employment, finding secure work, developing relevant skills, and accessing support during unemployment or emergencies. Young women, persons with disabilities, climate-displaced youth, and those working in the informal economy often face additional barriers.
Yet young people are frequently treated only as recipients of policy, rather than as partners who can help design it.
Dhaka IV was therefore intended not only for experienced debaters, but for a wider generation whose future depends on fair, inclusive, and responsive public systems. By debating real policy choices, participants learned to examine evidence, question assumptions, listen to opposing views, and consider the difficult trade-offs involved in national decision-making.
The ideas and arguments generated during the tournament will be synthesised into a Youth Perspectives Brief. The brief is expected to provide evidence-based recommendations for the next-generation National Social Security Strategy, including proposals related to employment, skills development, informal work, social inclusion, and the changing needs of young people.
For Bangladesh, the benefits of such an initiative extend beyond producing stronger debaters. Meaningful youth participation can help create policies that better reflect current realities, use public resources more effectively, and reach groups that are often overlooked.
It can also help develop informed citizens and future leaders who understand that policymaking requires evidence, empathy, and accountability. Dhaka IV delivered a simple but important message: policies for young people become stronger when young people help shape them.