To build a truly democratic process, everyone in society needs to be involved in this process. Excluding anyone will not allow this process to be completed smoothly. On the other hand, the youth are the future leaders of the nation. In the future, they will take responsibility in running the country and society. Therefore, if young people do not actively participate in the democratic process, especially in exercising their voting rights, democracy will not be sustainable. With the aim of involving the youth in the democratic process and shaping them as responsible voters, various speakers made the above remarks at ‘Voter Education: Youth Orientation and Smart Voting’ organized by ISDE Bangladesh with the cooperation of the international development organization IFES on 13 January 2026 at the coastal Rajakhali Faizunnesa High School and College in Pekua Upazila.
The orientation organized under the chairmanship of the acting principal of Rajakhali Faizunnessa High School and College, Jasim Uddin, was attended by Romana Amin Archi, Deputy Country Director of IFES, as the chief guest, and SM Nazer Hossain, Vice President of the CAB Central Committee and Executive Director of ISDE, Kaniz Fatema, Senior Program Manager of IFES, as guests. Participants in the discussion included college lecturers Moin Uddin and Md. Nurul Amin, ISDE Program Coordinator Jahangir Alam, Monitoring and Learning Officer Sumpam Bodua, Program Implementation Officers Md. Kamal Uddin, Shahidul Islam, Jalal Uddin, among others.
The speakers further stated that the youth are the main strength of a country’s democracy. By creating informed and responsible voters, it is possible to establish an inclusive and accountable democratic system, where the role of the youth is extremely important. The speakers’ emphasized raising widespread awareness regarding voting. This program is organized with the aim of making a large segment of society aware so that all citizens can vote and no one is left out. At the end of the program, leaflets and informative materials related to voter education are distributed among the participants.
The mock voting program and youth orientation discuss citizens’ responsibilities as first-time voters, the voting process, the importance of free and fair elections, and being aware of misinformation during the election period. Additionally, through the mock voting demonstration activities, participants are given a hands-on opportunity to practice the actual voting process, which generates significant interest, especially among new and young voters. This increases the confidence of first-time voters and fosters interest in voting. More than 70 students and teachers from the college participate in the youth orientation.
The organizers say that in the future, ISDE will continue to carry out such activities to strengthen democratic processes and increase voter awareness among the youth and disadvantaged general population in remote, marginalized, and underprivileged areas of the country.
