By Atikur Rahman Atik from Rajshahi
Varendra Youth Forum, the largest forum which unites various youth, development and volunteer organizations of Rajshahi and the greater Varendra region has formed their annual executive committee. Atikur Rahman Atik, General Secretary of Youth Action for Social Change (YASC), has been elected as President, and Poly Rani Pramanik, Executive Member of Rajshahi College Reporters’ Unity, as General Secretary.
The committee was formed at a general meeting held on Sunday, 04 January, at the seminar room of SK Food World, located in the Ranibazar, Rajshahi. The meeting was presided over by Varendra Youth Forum President Shaikh Tasnim Jamal and conducted by Treasurer Salman Farsi. The meeting included an open discussion on various issues of the Varendra region and youth’s perspectives on the environment, followed by the formation of the 13-member annual executive committee.
The newly formed Executive Committee members are: Salman Farsi and Moklesur Rahman Sundori as Vice Presidents; Md. Sohel Hossain as Joint General Secretary; Mahbubullah Masum as Treasurer; Md. Zulfikar Ali Haider as Organizing Secretary; Hasibul Hasnat Rizvi as Publicity and Publication Secretary; Tahmid Zaki as Office Secretary; Mosa. Tamim Tuli as Environment and Climate Affairs Secretary; Mosa. Mim as Education, Culture, and Sports Secretary; and Alamgir Hossain and Md. Shahadat Hossain as Executive Members.
Caption: Atikur Rahman, President and Poly Rani Pramanik General Secretary
During the meeting, an Upper House (Senate) consisting of former and senior youth members of the Varendra Youth Forum was also elected. The members of the newly formed committee expressed their commitment to making the organization stronger and a symbol of protest, diversity, humanity, equality, environmental justice, and the establishment of a fair society.
The event was attended by Shahidul Islam (Anthropologist, Environmental Law Researcher, and Senate President of Barendra Youth Forum), Rubel Hossain Mintu (President of Shopnochari Development Organization), Professor Dr. Bidhan Chandra Das (Zoologist and Advisor to Barendra Youth Forum), Waliur Rahman Babu (Social and Cultural Activist), Raihan Jewel (President of Barnai Lokosahitya Parishad), Samrat Raihan (Executive Director of Social Welfare Organization), and leaders of various other organizations.
Since 2015, the Varendra Youth Forum has been working under the slogan “”We are committed to Education, Culture and Diversity Protection.” The organization aims to build a humane society by organizing the youth of the Varendra region. Its core activities include increasing leadership and civic capacity; environmental conservation and tackling climate change; protecting natural resources; and raising awareness regarding education, health, and human rights. It also works on preserving local culture and heritage, ensuring food sovereignty for all living beings, and protecting rivers, wetlands, and agricultural land.
