GCERF (Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund) organized the Prevention of Violent Extremism in Bangladesh – Community of Practice (CoP) event with PVE stakeholders in Bangladesh on 11 and 12 October 2023. This event was held in the Conference Room of the Long Beach Hotel, Cox’s Bazar where YPSA and Rupantar participated as grantees.
The objectives of the CoP, are to make sustainable the youth platform, advocacy efforts and fundraising and resource mobilization. Day 01 of the CoP has been scheduled with the topics of Communities of Practice Working Sessions by the Grantees, Sub-Grantees, Youth Platform Members and Religious Leader. On Day 02 scheduled with Field visit and Plan of Action.
Ms. Khaleda Begum, Team leader of the YPSA CEVEC project conducted this event. At the beginning, all participants showed respect by observing 1 minute of silence for the loss of Mr. Shahdat Hossen Bachchu of Rupantar. Basile Ema Ebédé, the Country Manager of GCERF welcomed everybody to participate in that event in his inauguration speech with the objective of this event. He said that the joint effort of the Grantees, Sub-Grantees, Youth Platform Members and Religious Leaders would help in common understanding, enhance the experiences of the field by sharing and learning and develop a Plan of Action. Mr. Rafiqul Islam Khokan, ED of Rupantan and Mohammad Shahjahan, Focal Point of the YPSA CEVEC project and Director of YPSA gave their welcome speech.
On Day 01, Ms. Khaleda Begum, Team leader of YPSA and Mr. Rafiqul Islam Khokan, ED of Rupantan, Mr. Shuvasish Vattachariya, Tasnima Mahin, Atia Tansima, Farah Bi Tabassum from Rupantar presented their presentation on Youth Platform, Advocacy and Fundraising and Resource mobilization. Besides that, Youth Club representative Md. Sadek Hosen and Youth Forum representative Mrs. Nasima Akter presented their organizations.
Ms, Fahmida Begum, the Deputy Director of the Islamic Foundation in Cox’s Bazar, Mr. Paritosh Chey, the Assistant Priest of SatSongo Temple in Cox’s Bazar and Taposh Sen Bhikku, the Assistant President of Rangkot Buddhist Temple at Ramu took part in the session and shared their experiences and plan of action on PVE.
On Day 02, the schedule was made on 02 sessions. In the first session, 02 teams were separated to visit the field to observe the activities of the South Mithachori Youth Forum at South Mithachori at Ramu and the Youth club ‘ CYDA’ at Islampur, Eidgaon. One team has visited the office of CYDA. The Youth club ‘ CYDA’ presented their organization in front of the team, and described their activities on PVE. They took part in a question and answering session and shared experiences with Peace Club. After that session, the team observed a courtyard meeting in the field on PVE.
Another team has visited the South Mithachori Youth Forum office at Ramu. There, the team was welcomed by the South Mithachori youth forum members and they presented their forum by introduction, activities and plan of action. After their presentation, the question-answering sessions were placed and shared experiences with each other.
The second session has started with the sharing experiences of field visit. Recommendation and Plan of Action presented by Mr. Rafiqul Islam Khokan, ED and Mr. Shuvasish Vattachariya, Operation Coordinator were presented from Rupantar and Mr. Nazmul Barat Rony, the Program Coordinator of ( Training and Advocacy) presented from YPSA, Youth has presented their plan of action. From the youth, the presentations were presented sequentially by Nasima Akter, Md. Sadek Hossen, Tayeba Islam. Risat Rowson, Uzzal Shaha, Israt Jahan Esha, Farzana Tasnim Rifat, Md. Ferdous Ahmed Sifath and Mohammad Asaduzzaman.
Basile Ema Ebédé, the Country Manager of GCERF has concluded the event through the board of thanks. He conveyed thanks to all participants for their active participation and conveyed thanks to YPSA team for their great contribution to making the event successful.
Mohammed Harun, Program Coordinator (Field operation) played role for safety security and Bana Ratna Tanchangya was involved as co-facilitator.
