Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC), a leadership institute, organized a 7.5 km run in Hatirjheel in association with the Ministry of Youth and Sport to raise awareness on reducing air pollution by creating the city green.
Supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the BYLC Running with Purpose 2024 event saw the participation of around 1000 runners of diverse backgrounds, said a press release.
By bringing hundreds of youth, children, and adults to run through part of the city, the run drew attention to the importance of clean air and a greener city, focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and wellbeing) & 11 (Green City) which underscores the urgency to take action to combat air pollution and its impacts through making the surroundings greener.
M A Akher, Director (Planning), Department of Youth Development, expressed his gratitude to BYLC for igniting change through this remarkable run and guiding the nation's youth toward a purpose-driven path. "Your dedication is inspiring and indispensable in propelling our future leaders towards a brighter tomorrow," he said.
At the award ceremony of BYLC Running with Purpose 2024 today, Ejaj Ahmad, the founder and executive chairperson of BYLC, emphasized the importance of access to fresh air as a basic necessity and a fundamental human right. He noted the rapid deterioration of Dhaka's air quality over recent years, consistently placing it among the world's worst. He urged the ordinary citizens to actively contribute to creating a greener city while emphasizing the need to hold elected officials accountable for improving air quality in Dhaka.
Md. Khorshed Alam, Technical Judge, Bangladesh Athletics Federation, was also present at the event and appreciated BYLC's initiative in making Bangladesh a better place to live.
Tahsinah Ahmed, Executive Director, BYLC concluded the program by sharing her vote of thanks at the closing ceremony.
Praava Health, a leading healthcare provider in Bangladesh, was the health partner for the event, while the popular food chain, Unimart was the food partner. Other partners included Elite Force as our security partner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Hatirjheel Thana and others.
BYLC exists to build connections among youth from diverse backgrounds, equip them with leadership skills, and enable them to have high impact in public, private, and civil sectors.
Over the past fifteen years, they have trained more than 7000 young people in leadership and 3700(five years) in professional skill development.