Groundbreaking essay competition on Indigenous participation in public policy draws submissions from 18 schools nationwide
BacharLorai Global today announced the winners of the “Youth Voices for Inclusion” International Essay Competition, which drew 92 submissions from students aged 11–14 across 18 schools in Bangladesh. The ground-breaking competition challenged young writers to tackle a critical question: “If you were designing a project to give Indigenous communities a stronger voice in politics, what would it look like?”
After a rigorous independent review by a distinguished panel , Pallab Chakma (Co-Chair of the International Land Coalition and Executive Director of Kapaeeng Foundation), Pavel Partha (Director, Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge) and Probin Tripura (Senior Assistant Director at the Institute of Informatics and Development)—four students have been selected for their vision, originality, and commitment to social justice.
2025-26 Winners
- First Place: Saif Hossain, South Breeze School (Uttara)
- Theme: Project Baksa
- The essay explores the vision behind Project Baksa, a global competition that unites Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities to amplify marginalized voices and apply generations-old community solutions to modern society.
- Second Place (Tie): Taharat Nawar Aurna & Sheikh Ahnaf Al Mehd, The Aga Khan Academy & South Breeze School
- Theme: Turn Up the Volume & Waves of Resistance: Taranga
- Taharat: This essay examines Bangladesh’s Indigenous communities, who face political underrepresentation due to land loss, violence, and censorship, and explores a youth-led online podcast project that amplifies their voices, blends tradition with modern media, and promotes advocacy and inclusive democracy.
- Sheikh Ahnaf: The essay proposes Taranga, a digital folk music platform where Indigenous artists in Bangladesh share their work to raise awareness of their struggles, generate revenue for legal support, and blend culture with advocacy to amplify voices and foster grassroots resistance.
- Third Place: Chanantika Basak, Ramnagar Adarsha Secondary Girls School
- Theme: আদিবাসীদের রাজনৈতিক ঐক্যস্বর (Political Unity of Indigenous Peoples)
- The essay thoughtfully examines the struggles, rights, and lived realities of Adibashii (indigenous) communities, presenting a compelling argument for social justice, cultural preservation, and inclusive national development
“We are deeply grateful to our judges— Pallab Chakma, Pavel Partha, and Probin Tripura—whose Indigenous rights expertise provided rigorous and authentic evaluation,” said Rubaina Farin, Manager of the Youth Voices Essay Competition. “The creativity we witnessed was truly remarkable. Young writers designed festivals, digital campaigns, school clubs, and entirely original concepts demonstrating genuine understanding of challenges Indigenous communities face. Winners receive awards and certificates recognizing their achievement, which can support higher education applications and unlock future opportunities in policy and advocacy.”
“This competition represents a turning point for policy discourse in Bangladesh, and we’re grateful to the participating schools whose educators championed this initiative,” said Aditi Zahir, Director of Policy Research. “We’ve created a national platform where young people engage meaningfully with Indigenous rights and democratic inclusion. The solutions proposed offer fresh perspectives that policymakers and advocates must take seriously. We fully expect these winners to continue shaping Bangladesh’s conversations on social justice and inclusion as they grow.”
“We are incredibly proud of the team. Rubaina Farin and Aditi Zahir brought this vision to life with remarkable dedication,” said Anil Wasif, Co-Founder, Trustee & Managing Director of BacharLorai Global. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our institutional and program sponsors, including Scotiabank and Human Resource Solutions for investing in youth voices. Special thanks to Edutechs for supporting the technology platform that made this competition accessible, and to Agrothi Shanghtha for enabling participation from Bangla medium schools. We look forward to submissions next year.”
The competition addressed urgent needs around land dispossession, political representation, and preservation of 35 unique languages spoken by more than 54 Indigenous groups in Bangladesh. By participating, young writers demonstrated that achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), and Climate Action (SDG 13); requires including the voices of marginalized communities.
Participating institutions for 2025-26 included: 187 No. Ghola Government Primary School, Adarsha School Narayanganj, Aga Khan Academy, Armed Police Battalion School and College, Arpangashia Priyonath Secondary School, Chittagong Grammar School, Engineering University School and College, Ghola Gazi Abdul Hamin Model Academic Dakhil Madrasa, Hafiza Khatun Girls High School, Holy Cross Girls High School, Ishwaripur Abdus Sobhan Secondary School, Joynagar Aminiya Hamidiya Kalim Madrasa, Kashimari Adarsha Mohila Fajil Degree Madrasa, Kashimari Ideal School and College, Ramnagar Adarsha Secondly Girls School, Scholastica, South Breeze School, and Sunbeams School.
Details Here: www.bacharlorai.com/research/youth-voices
