Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States brought together leaders from youth organizations across the country and the private sector to establish new partnerships for youth employment and greater prosperity.   USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia Michael Schiffer, visiting from Washington, D.C., joined USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman and Shikho CEO Shahir Chowdhury to sign a memorandum of understanding to collaborate in building the job skills of Bangladeshi youth and unlock employment opportunities. USAID convened its first-ever youth-private sector marketplace event to connect businesses like Visa and Shikho with youth organizations like Jaago and the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center to identify and strengthen skills needed to modernize the country’s workforce, while enabling youth to contribute more fully to Bangladesh’s economic growth. “Providing youth with more marketable job skills will make Bangladesh more competitive and help position the country to be the next ‘Asian Tiger’ – a royal Bengal tiger – and deliver on the promise of providing more equitable opportunities for prosperity to all citizens,” said USAID Assistant Administrator Schiffer.  USAID’s education and youth programs are increasingly seeking private sector partners to invest in building the skills of youth in classrooms, communities, and in the workplace.   The United States has partnered with Bangladesh for more than 50 years and provided more than $8 billion to improve health, education, agriculture, food security, and humanitarian assistance, and strengthen resilience to climate change and natural disasters.  

In a remarkable display of talent and dedication, Tabish Aijaz Khan, an accomplished MBBS doctor from the Iqbal Abad area of Anantnag district, in south Kashmir, has been making waves in the art world. Alongside her medical profession, Tabish has carved a niche for herself as a self-taught artist with a penchant for transforming unconventional materials into breathtaking masterpieces. Tabish's artistic journey began during her childhood, where she found solace and joy in creating art pieces on waste materials such as Chinar leaves, feathers, stones, and discarded items. Her belief that nothing is useless drove her to turn these materials into beautiful artworks, defying conventional norms of painting. Gradually, her hobby evolved into a passion, and in 2016, she decided to share her unique creations on social media during the turbulent Kashmir Unrest. To her surprise, Tabish's art received overwhelming appreciation and support from the community, motivating her to delve deeper into her passion. Despite the challenges posed by communication blockades and limited platforms for artists in the region, she managed to excel in every art competition she participated in, although her ongoing medical education prevented her from taking part in significant events. Tabish's ability to balance her medical profession with her passion for art is a testament to her dedication and perseverance. Painting serves as a stress reliever for her during intense study sessions, reinforcing her belief in the power of art to soothe the mind and soul. Her exceptional talent and creativity have not gone unnoticed. Tabish has been recognized with various prestigious awards, including the Women Empowerment Award presented by DC Anantnag on Women's Day in 2021, the Kashmir Icon Excellence Award, and accolades from India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and the IWR Foundation Award. Speaking about her journey, Tabish expressed her determination to continue pursuing her passion under all circumstances. She attributes her success to her unwavering family support, especially from her father, who has been a constant source of motivation. Tabish's story serves as an inspiration to the youth, particularly in Kashmir, encouraging them to pursue their passions and have faith in their abilities. She believes that empowering oneself through meaningful pursuits is more rewarding than wasting time on futile exercises. As she continues her career as a doctor, Tabish Khan's innovative approach to art and her ability to turn waste materials into awe-inspiring artworks stand as a testament to her infinite capacity for creativity. Her achievements and dedication emphasize the importance of hard work and self-confidence in achieving success. Tabish Khan's story echoes the sentiment of Leonardo da Vinci's famous words, "Art is the queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world." She has combined her medical expertise with the language of art, breaking barriers and creating an impact that transcends boundaries.

In a remarkable display of talent and dedication, Tabish Aijaz Khan, an accomplished MBBS doctor from the Iqbal Abad area of Anantnag district, in south Kashmir, has been making waves in the art world. Alongside her medical profession, Tabish has carved a niche for herself as a self-taught artist with a penchant for transforming unconventional materials into breathtaking masterpieces. Tabish's artistic journey began during her childhood, where she found solace and joy in creating art pieces on waste materials such as Chinar leaves, feathers, stones, and discarded items. Her belief that nothing is useless drove her to turn these materials into beautiful artworks, defying conventional norms of painting. Gradually, her hobby evolved into a passion, and in 2016, she decided to share her unique creations on social media during the turbulent Kashmir Unrest. To her surprise, Tabish's art received overwhelming appreciation and support from the community, motivating her to delve deeper into her passion. Despite the challenges posed by communication blockades and limited platforms for artists in the region, she managed to excel in every art competition she participated in, although her ongoing medical education prevented her from taking part in significant events. Tabish's ability to balance her medical profession with her passion for art is a testament to her dedication and perseverance. Painting serves as a stress reliever for her during intense study sessions, reinforcing her belief in the power of art to soothe the mind and soul. Her exceptional talent and creativity have not gone unnoticed. Tabish has been recognized with various prestigious awards, including the Women Empowerment Award presented by DC Anantnag on Women's Day in 2021, the Kashmir Icon Excellence Award, and accolades from India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and the IWR Foundation Award. Speaking about her journey, Tabish expressed her determination to continue pursuing her passion under all circumstances. She attributes her success to her unwavering family support, especially from her father, who has been a constant source of motivation. Tabish's story serves as an inspiration to the youth, particularly in Kashmir, encouraging them to pursue their passions and have faith in their abilities. She believes that empowering oneself through meaningful pursuits is more rewarding than wasting time on futile exercises. As she continues her career as a doctor, Tabish Khan's innovative approach to art and her ability to turn waste materials into awe-inspiring artworks stand as a testament to her infinite capacity for creativity. Her achievements and dedication emphasize the importance of hard work and self-confidence in achieving success. Tabish Khan's story echoes the sentiment of Leonardo da Vinci's famous words, "Art is the queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world." She has combined her medical expertise with the language of art, breaking barriers and creating an impact that transcends boundaries.

In a remarkable display of talent and dedication, Tabish Aijaz Khan, an accomplished MBBS doctor from the Iqbal Abad area of Anantnag district, in south Kashmir, has been making waves in the art world. Alongside her medical profession, Tabish has carved a niche for herself as a self-taught artist with a penchant for transforming unconventional materials into breathtaking masterpieces. Tabish's artistic journey began during her childhood, where she found solace and joy in creating art pieces on waste materials such as Chinar leaves, feathers, stones, and discarded items. Her belief that nothing is useless drove her to turn these materials into beautiful artworks, defying conventional norms of painting. Gradually, her hobby evolved into a passion, and in 2016, she decided to share her unique creations on social media during the turbulent Kashmir Unrest. To her surprise, Tabish's art received overwhelming appreciation and support from the community, motivating her to delve deeper into her passion. Despite the challenges posed by communication blockades and limited platforms for artists in the region, she managed to excel in every art competition she participated in, although her ongoing medical education prevented her from taking part in significant events. Tabish's ability to balance her medical profession with her passion for art is a testament to her dedication and perseverance. Painting serves as a stress reliever for her during intense study sessions, reinforcing her belief in the power of art to soothe the mind and soul. Her exceptional talent and creativity have not gone unnoticed. Tabish has been recognized with various prestigious awards, including the Women Empowerment Award presented by DC Anantnag on Women's Day in 2021, the Kashmir Icon Excellence Award, and accolades from India Book of Records, Asia Book of Records, and the IWR Foundation Award. Speaking about her journey, Tabish expressed her determination to continue pursuing her passion under all circumstances. She attributes her success to her unwavering family support, especially from her father, who has been a constant source of motivation. Tabish's story serves as an inspiration to the youth, particularly in Kashmir, encouraging them to pursue their passions and have faith in their abilities. She believes that empowering oneself through meaningful pursuits is more rewarding than wasting time on futile exercises. As she continues her career as a doctor, Tabish Khan's innovative approach to art and her ability to turn waste materials into awe-inspiring artworks stand as a testament to her infinite capacity for creativity. Her achievements and dedication emphasize the importance of hard work and self-confidence in achieving success. Tabish Khan's story echoes the sentiment of Leonardo da Vinci's famous words, "Art is the queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world." She has combined her medical expertise with the language of art, breaking barriers and creating an impact that transcends boundaries.

An initiative named “Sikhya Langar” has been unveiled towards equipping the Sikh youth with essential skills and professional expertise, Khalsa Vox reported, Khalsa Vox reported. This movement started after a round-table conference held on Monday in Amritsar, under the patronage of Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Raghbir Singh and spearheaded by the Member of Parliament, Vikramjit Singh Sahney. Representatives from 50 Sikh Sabha Gurdwara Committees and eminent Sikh historians attended the conference to hold discussions regarding strategies to enhance educational opportunities and uplift the Sikh community. The participants unanimously passed resolutions that have been created to shape the course of Sikh education and skill development, according to Khalsa Vox report.  One of the key resolutions stressed that every Gurdwara should allocate a significant portion, particularly 15-20 per cent of its budget towards education initiatives. This allocation would pave the way for the creation of dedicated education committees, tasked with making a comprehensive blueprint for the effective utilization of these funds, Khalsa Vox reported.  By focusing on critical areas such as addressing school dropouts and promoting higher education, these committees aim to foster a nurturing environment for learning and growth within the Sikh community. A central aspect of the “Sikhya Langar” initiative is the setting up of skill development centres in Gurdwaras around the world.   These centres will be developed to bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping Sikh youth with essential employability skills. With a strong focus on developing robust industrial connections, these skill centres aim to secure job placements for the youth. The “Sikhya Langar” aims to create a generation of Sikh youth who are academically proficient and equipped with the practical expertise needed to thrive in the modern job market. The initiative envisions a brighter, more prosperous future for all, according to Khalsa Vox report.  The vision set forth at the round-table conference promises to revolutionize the landscape of Sikh education and professional growth. It incorporates the spirit of compassion and service, demonstrating the essence of the Sikh faith, the report said.  The vision is expected to reverberate across the country, leaving a profound effect on generations to come, according to Khalsa Vox report. The “Sikhya Langar” initiative stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Sikh community towards empowering its youth and preparing them to lead with excellence in the changing world.

Hailing the arrival of the historic G20 Summit in Kashmir Valley as a welcome step towards peace and development, the voluntary organization “Voice for Peace & Justice (VPJ) held an enthusiastic Y-20 Youth Conference at World famous health resort Manasbal here in district Ganderbal. The purpose of the conference was to develop and nurture world-class leadership skills among the young generation to encourage them face and deliberate upon the global challenges of environment, economy, peace, health and employment generation. Prof Fayyaz Ahmad Nika, Dean Academics Central University of Kashmir (CUK) attended the conference as Chief Guest where students from various educational institutions, local youth educationist and social activists participated in the debate and discussion. Dr. Saba Bhat, Founder Guide the Professionals; Advocate Wasim, President Kashmir Advocates Association, PhD scholar Mir Muskan, Social Activist Bilal Bhat, BDC Chairperson Sherpathri Ali Mohammad Dar, BDC Chairperson Ganderbal, Tasleema Majeed, DDC Safapora Abdul Rashid, BDC Gowhar Ali, Sheikh M Shafi were among the special guests present on the occasion. Pertinent to mention that the Youth Conference was organised in context with the ongoing process of #G20 summit and the old age, middle-aged as well as younger generations of Kashmir have extended their cordial welcome to the historic G-20 summit being hosted here and have expressed hopes of boosting tourism, economic development of Jammu and Kashmir and other world-class opportunities to the local youth through this global meet with an expectation of getting the help and encouragement of G-20 members who would become the advocates and Ambassadors of peace and prelosperity on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. India under the able global leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, should lead the G-20 presidency to declare Jammu and Kashmir as the model place of peace, prosperity and universal brotherhood at the global level to open new avenues of bright and prosperous future for the youth of J&K. Voice for Peace and justice President, Farooq Ganderbali said “Kashmir youth want to contribute and partner in peace & development. Kashmir has a lot of energetic and enthusiastic youth, who have the potential to excel in life and contribute in nation building while serving in the field of Sports, technology, management and all other fields.” Hundreds of students, scholars, doctors, young engineers, civil society members, PRI’s participated in this conference . Speakers highlighted the scope of international tourism in Kashmir and deliberated upon the need of putting up Kashmir as a world favourite destination for Hollywood and Bollywood movies, besides setting up an international market of Kashmir Handicraft, Art and culture. The event was also graced by traditional fork song band headed by popular singer Mohammad Aslam Saednari. Source: theopinion.co.in

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government has been making efforts to create smart athletes to ensure Bangladesh's participation in any international sports competition. "We have built digital Bangladesh. Our next target is to transform the country into a Smart Bangladesh which will help generate smart players and thus we will achieve the quality of taking part in any international sports," she said.   She said this while formally inaugurating the final phase of Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 at Bangladesh Army Stadium in the capital city this evening.   "I believe that the youth games will add a new dimension to the sports arena and work as a platform to generate star players," she said.   The Prime Minister said her government has been working to ensure the country's socio-economic advancement alongside boosting up excellence of the sports arena.   She said the youths will get a chance to flourish their talents in various sports by taking part in the youth games. It would inspire the fresher and children to get involved in the sports, she added.   Describing the athletes as the soldiers towards building Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous one by 2041, the Prime Minister wished their every success in the youth games.

After the successful conclusion of inter-upazila and inter-district phase, curtain of final phase of Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 is being formally rise today. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the final phase of the Games as the chief guest with state-owned Bangladesh Television to telecast the inaugural ceremony live that begins at 7 pm at the Bangladesh Army Stadium. The volleyball and chess events of the Games have already began from today (Saturday), one day before the formal inauguration ceremony. The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) organized the Youth Games for the first time in 2018. The main motto of the Games was to select future players for national teams in various disciplines and to groom the talents of young athletes. At the same time, the BOA also has taken initiative to ensure the regular presence of young athletes in the sports arena. The BOA has been organizing Bangladesh Games and Youth Games every four years since 2018. In the first edition Youth Games, fifty thousand athletes, coaches, technical officials and sports organizers participated in twenty one disciplines. However the number of disciplines including individual and team has been increased to twenty four in the second edition. Nearly four thousand athletes will compete for 193 gold, 193 silver and 287 bronze medals in 193 events of twenty four disciplines in the final phase. The second edition of the Youth Games has been named after Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Earlier, the inter-upazila first phase of the games was held from January 2-10 last, the inter-district second phase was held from January 16-22 January last. Eight divisions are participating in the final phase in Dhaka. Organised by Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA), Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games is being held in three phases under the overall direction of Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games' chief patron Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A young man named Rakib Bepari (28) killed in a road accident in the capital's Jatrabari. The accident happened on Monday night at around 10:30 pm. When he was brought to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the doctor on duty declared him dead at around 11:45 pm. Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Outpost Incharge (Inspector) Md. Bachchu Mia said that when a young man injured in a road accident was brought to the hospital, the doctor declared him dead. The body has been kept in the morgue for Autopsy. Deceased Rakib is the son of Mokhles Bepari at Naria upazila of Shariatpur district. Rakib used to work in a furniture factory in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj. Ahidul Islam, a friend who rescued him and brought him to the hospital, said that Rakib was taken to Dhaka Medical in a bloody state from the road in front of Jatrabari police station at night. I known the situation through the locals that Rakib was crushed between a bus and a truck while crossing the road in front of Jatrabari Police Station on his way home from Siddhirganj after work. Jatrabari Police Station Duty Officer (SI), Mostafizur Rahman said, "We heared about the accident. A team has been sent for detailed investigation."

A multiplex cinema was thrown open to the public in Srinagar on Tuesday which was historic as halls were shut down due to violence for three decades. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated this cinema hall with all modern facilities. Built by INOX and owned by Vijay Dhar, the multiplex at Shivpora in Srinagar had a seating capacity of 520 persons in its three big auditoriums. The multiplex will have a restaurant and gaming zone for kids in the coming months as these two facilities are being built. Srinagar city had 12 famous cinemas but they were shut down in the 90s when militancy broke out in the Valley which tore its social and peaceful atmosphere. The cinemas were banned by a militant group called 'Allah Tigers' and since then it was curtains down in these cinemas which today are deserted like ghost houses. Today's event is historic for youth who have seen turmoil and violence in the last three decades. Kashmir and Bollywood have a historic bond which is as old as Bollywood. Life was enhanced by the picturesque beauty of the valley which filmmakers found a perfect shot for filmmaking. Sinha during the inauguration speech said remanded people of this old bond. He said that late Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor loved to call himself "Kashmir Ka Kaddoo" and for his love for Kashmir his ashes were immersed in the famous Dal Lake. Before the 90s many famous Bollywood hits like Kashmir ki Kali, and Bobby was shot in Kashmir which put the audience in awe. Bollywood and cinema became a medium to promote Kashmir's tourism to the outside world. Shah Adnan, a young businessman from Srinagar, said that it is a historic day for him to see a Bollywood movie in a cinema hall in Srinagar. Shah has watched movies in metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Banglore or OTT platforms. "Kashmir seemed backwards when people outside asked us about the absence of cinema. Youth in Kashmir now have entertainment at their doorstep," he said. Kashmir's youth was deprived of this major entertainment due to militancy and today's event seems to have brought curtains down to the dark memories of radical groups. Renowned journalist and host of famous TV news show "Aap ki Adalat" Rajat Sharma who was in Srinagar on a historic day, said that Bollywood actor Salman Khan shared with him in the past that it was his dream to have a cinema in Kashmir. "I am going to tell my friend Salman Khan that his dream of seeing a cinema in Kashmir that he had shared with me during the shooting of Bhajrangi Bhaijan has come true," Sharma said. Vijay Dhar who owns the cinema said that after the 90s youth have not seen films in the cinema. "Youth of Kashmir had no means of entertainment in cinemas. The cinema will provide them with the experience which they missed during the last 30 years," he said. The INOX cinema will screen movies for Kashmiris from October 1 and tickets will be available from September 26. "It is exciting to watch films on the big screen. I am happy that we have a multiplex in the city. I along with my friends are energy waiting for October 1 to watch our first film on the screen," said Abbas Khan, a college-going youth who is yet to see what a cinema hall looks like. LG Manoj Sinha said that such changes have become possible in Kashmir due to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took a historic step on August 5, 2019, to reshape Jammu and Kashmir and end its gloomy past. Sinha said that all districts of Jammu and Kashmir will have 100-seater Cinema halls where youth can entertain themselves. Sinha last week inaugurated two cinema halls in once militancy-hotspots of Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir. Source: ANI