A meeting titled ‘District level meeting with relevant government and local government representative to mainstream PVE initiatives through local government’ of YPSA-CEVEC Project (Community Engagement in Countering Violent Extremism in Chattogram Division) was held on 21 June 2023 at Arunodoy School Hall Room, Cox’s Bazar.
The Deputy Director of Local Government (In-charge) and the Honorable Additional Deputy Commissioner of HR&M of Cox’s Bazar Mr. Md. Nasim Ahmed was present as the chief guest at the occasion.
Since 2016, YSPA has been implementing a project “Community Engagement in Countering Violent Extremism in Cox’ Bazar (CEVEC) in Eight Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar District with the support of GCERF. From November 2019, the second round of the project is being implemented in four Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district (Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Ramu, Chakria and Maheshkhali) and Sitakund upazila of Chittagong district and in this period of Round – 2 extension YPSA is being implementing the project activities in same location as Round-2 from July 2022 to December 2023.
The program was chaired by Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan, the Focal Point of YPSA-CEVEC Project and Ms. Khaleda Begum, Team Leader of the YPSA-CEVEC Project were the Co-chaired at the program. Mr. Mohammad Harun, Project Coordinator (Field Operation) moderated the event.
As the program were focused on to mainstream PVE initiatives through local government the Chairman and Panel Chairman from Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Ramu, Moheskhali, Chakaria Upazila Union Parishad were present at the program.
At the welcome speech Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan welcome all the guests and express his gratitude for their time for the event. He also discussed about the project modality and the main purpose of the program.
In the PowerPoint presentation Ms. Khaleda Begum discussed about the project goals, achievements of the project till to date, Key Strategies of the project, activities with local government bodies, the logics of involving local government bodies in PVE, the roles of government bodies in sustainable PVE initiatives, etc.
After the PowerPoint presentation the session were open for all for open discussion where the participants shared their thoughts in the PVE issue. The participants said that, ‘the most vulnerable and targeted group of extremism is the youth. So we have to give an importance to look after the youth. We have to make a good environment for them and encourage them in sports, study and cultural events. We have to establish playgrounds, libraries, cultural institutions so that they can pass a fruitful time in there’. Beside that the participants said that, they will discuss PVE issues in the social events and public gathering so that they can make aware the community people on PVE issues. They also said that they will follow up the Mosque and education institutions so that the religious leaders and the teachers discuss PVE issues in the religious events and in the class rooms.
At the chief guest speech the Honorable Deputy Director of Local Government (In-charge) of Cox’s Bazar Mr. Md. Nasim Ahmed discussed the points that identified from open discussion. He appreciated YPSA’s activities to work at the grassroots level. He also point out the Local Government Bodies role and responsibilities in preventing violent extremism. He said that, ‘Sometimes the religious leaders discuss about over thinking issues and it hurts in religious feeligns. So that we have to be aware on it and request the religious leaders to discuss PVE issues as they are the most respectable person in our society’. He also mentioned that, to make a peaceful society the local government bodies are the idol to us. As they are the community representatives. Community people obey their voices and command. So they have to discuss the bad impact of the violence and extremism so that the community people can aware on it. He wish that, all the participants of the event will take their own initiatives on PVE issues in their community.
At the end of the program Ms. Khaleda Begum, team leader of YPSA-CEVEC project expressed her gratitude and thanks to all the participants for their present, involving themselves at the project activities. By the speech of ‘Vote of Thanks’ the meeting were successfully ended.
