United News of Bangladesh

Speakers at a workshop on Saturday stressed the need for focusing on accountability and holding fair elections to ensure a genuine democratic process in the country. Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), organised the workshop titled ‘Free and Fair Election’, as part of its ongoing initiative to encourage ideological dialogue and democratic practices among young politicians. The workshop was arranged to promote ideological dialogue among young political activists in the country and strengthen democratic coexistence and pluralism. DSE holds workshop on pledged shares and ethics in capital market Executive Director of CGS Parvez Karim Abbasi and Programme Adviser of FES Bangladesh Sadhan Kumar Das also spoke at the event. Turning to DUCSU, CGS President Zillur Rahman said DUCSU is a glorious chapter in Bangladesh history as students have always played an anti-establishment role, which is why the nation has always relied on it. "But the government has never spontaneously held DUCSU elections. The main reason is partisan politics. The last DUCSU election was the weakest and most shameful one," he said.  

The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) will host the 3rd edition of the Bay of Bengal Conversation (BOBC) 2024, an international geopolitical conference, which begins in Dhaka on Saturday. "We are honored to have Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, and a well known person as our inaugural speaker," said Executive Director of CGS, Zillur Rahman on Friday. He said Dr Yunus’s perspective will set the tone for three days of meaningful and impactful discussions. The announcement was made during a press briefing by the Executive Director of CGS, Zillur Rahman. Zillur said the third rendition of the Bay of Bengal Conference is the biggest event to date hosted by CGS. “This year’s conference, “A Fractured World,” brings together over 200 speakers, 300 delegates, and an audience of 800 participants hailing from more than 80 countries around the world, he said. Zillur also mentioned that Bangladesh stands at a unique moment in its history. Recent developments have opened up profound opportunities for our nation to redefine itself on democratic principles with a new openness to dialogue and collaboration. The Bay of Bengal Conversation will reflect this spirit by serving as a global platform to explore challenges that resonate across borders, from human rights and climate change to economic development, security, and technological transformation. He said, “This is more than a conference; it’s a call to action. Together, we aim to address the fractures dividing nations and communities, fostering new dialogues and solutions.” He also mentioned that the last two years of experience of this event was bitter. But CGS made it a successful event. "Hopefully this year won’t be different." Munira Khan, Chair of CGS said the Bay of Bengal Conversation has some agendas. "We want to discuss these issues. This is not for any political party but for the people.” She also said this conference is not a governmental event rather a non-governmental one and its result will be enjoyed by all the people around the world.