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Bangladesh 2074: CARO's Youth Survey Reveals Long-Term Policy and Growth Insights

 

Press Release, July 12, 2024

The Education and Research Department under CARO, an international non-profit organization, has initiated an extensive survey to collect insights on factors significantly influencing Bangladesh's development. CARO is devoted to empowering individuals through training, research, advocacy, and civic engagement, striving to expedite political education and personal-professional advancement in Bangladesh.

 

The preliminary study, involving 44 youth volunteers from CARO, has generated substantial findings. The data indicates that current policies in Bangladesh are moderately effective in fostering economic growth and diversification, though there is notable potential for improvement. A positive correlation has been identified between satisfaction with the quality of education and the efficacy of current policies in driving economic development. Conversely, a discernible negative correlation exists between the perceived significance of sustainable infrastructure development and the effectiveness of Bangladesh's global diplomatic engagements.

 

Public sentiment highlights that 55.6% of respondents are confident in Bangladesh's capacity to achieve sustainable development by 2074. Moreover, 44.4% of respondents believe that current policies contribute effectively to economic growth. There is also a moderately positive relationship between the perceived effectiveness of current anti-corruption measures and the inclusivity of policies towards marginalized communities. This indicates that as perceptions of anti-corruption effectiveness improve, there is a tendency for policies to be perceived as more inclusive towards marginalized groups, albeit the correlation is not robust.

 

Additionally, the survey suggests a mild association between individuals supporting global advocacy for sustainable development and their belief in the importance of international cooperation for Bangladesh's advancement, though the link between these perspectives is not substantial.

 

Demographically, the survey reflects a highly educated sample, with 94.4% of respondents possessing at least a Bachelor's degree, predominantly constituting young adults aged 18-24. This demographic underscores the viewpoints of a well-educated youth segment, pivotal in shaping future policy directions. While the findings acknowledge the effectiveness of current policies, there is a consensus on the necessity for strategic enhancements, particularly in aligning educational quality and sustainability objectives with economic strategies.

 

Key additional findings include:

- 65.9% of respondents express confidence or strong confidence in Bangladesh's prospects for sustainable development by 2074.

- Substantial discontent with the quality of education, with 59.1% expressing dissatisfaction or strong dissatisfaction.

- Widespread consensus on the significance of addressing gender disparities in education, with 91.0% deeming it extremely or very         important.

- Favorable perceptions of vocational training programs, as 93.2% regard them as effective or very effective.

- Significant discontent with the healthcare system, with 86.4% rating it as fair or worse and resounding support for universal    healthcare (88.6% deeming it extremely important).

- A considerable proportion of respondents (68.2%) consider job creation for youth and women as extremely important.

- Strong support for public-private partnerships in infrastructure development, with 77.2% in favor.

- Poor ratings for transparency and accountability, with 54.5% rating them as low or very low.

- Ineffectiveness of current anti-corruption measures, as 61.4% perceive them as ineffective or very ineffective. - Emphasis placed on    capacity building for public servants, with 90.9% deeming it important or extremely important.

- Elevated concern regarding climate change, with 95.4% expressing extreme or very high concern, and universal backing for investing in renewable energy.

- Only 45.5% of respondents view social inclusion policies as genuinely inclusive.

- Gender equality across all sectors is regarded as extremely important by 47.7%.

- Technological innovation is considered important or extremely important by 97.7% of respondents.

- Diverse perspectives on digital infrastructure, with 27.3% giving it poor or very poor ratings.

- Strong support for investment in research and development, with 88.7% in favor.

 

CARO remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering individuals through comprehensive training, research, advocacy, and civic engagement. The organization aims to expedite political education and personal-professional advancement in Bangladesh, fostering skill enhancement, talent recognition, and impactful social change.