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Face to Face with Shehab Shamir

Thinkbig: Briefly tell us about yourself and your passion?

Shehab Shamir:Let me start with my academic interest which is basically on Renewable Energy. I think a lot has to be done in this field to address many socio-economic and environmental challenges of contemporary world. Innovation in this field will benefit millions of people worldwide.

Shehab Shamir, President, BYEI

In short I would say….my passion is to work on initiative that will lead to a better Bangladesh. In future I would like to continue my effort to align our youth in the process of protecting environment through capacity building, leadership development and promoting awareness.

One thing…my personal… if I set to do something, I am kind of persistent to it and unstoppable until I get it done….

TB: What inspires you to become a Change Maker instead of taking an easy way?

SS: The culture around us is to speak about the problems and criticize someone for it; but, not much talk on how to solve the problems. I personally believe that once we see and understand any problem in our society and environment, our approach should seek solution to the problem, not just blame the system or someone. To me change comes from action. Action speaks louder than words.

I’ve no intention to spoil my time by blaming others rather I love to count on my own impact. My approach is, let’s start solving the problems. Instead of talking fruitlessly I dreamed of bringing real changes.

So, basically my understanding on environmental problems and challenges for Bangladesh has motivated me to form Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (BYEI) through which we are reaching out to young generation of Bangladesh to raise awareness among them on different environmental issues and most importantly, to build capacity of young people so that they can positively contribute to protect and promote better environment and sustainable development.

TB: How you came up with the idea (BYEI) and why it is climate change?

SS:  Well, BYEI’s work not limited to climate change, our concerns are whole range of environmental issues. Again, my understanding on severity of environmental degradation and challenges for Bangladesh has motivated me to do something. If you see the scene, climate change is one of the major threatening issues for the globe. And Bangladesh is one of the Most Vulnerable Countries (MVC).Thus; we need to give priority to the issue.

TB: After you came up with the idea, how did you get started? Please walk us through what the first few months of your journey were like.

SS: The state of environment and development of Bangladesh gave me an impression, a question regarding the impact on Bangladesh and a question indeed to myself that what you can do. To be frank as a passionate lover, active and responsible citizen of Bangladesh the thought of coming up with something whatever my capacity is, to help Bangladesh address the issue, has constantly been poking in my mind.   

Starting something is not rosy and you know that, it is highly self-consuming.

If I retrospect, at the beginning, reaching out and make people understand about environmental problems was not an easy job. Things are bit difficult because as I said earlier very few people have a comprehensive understanding on environmental problems.

So, first few months, I was just reaching out to my friends and to interested people who might work on the issue. I need to convince them about what I had thought and understood. Besides tied up and engage them to get a group of people around me to work.

Then comes, getting support from around. Financing was also a big issue. The first few months were really self consuming and I had to dry me up to get the things done. It took me awake several nights and consumes my days. But, at the end of the day success is sweeter than sufferings.

TB: In your eyes, what are the biggest obstacles for a youth wants to make a difference in Bangladesh?

SS: Getting your idea popularized, means getting your idea goes beyond your own circle would be the first obstacle as many people have conservative mindset even to appreciate good initiative.

The second challenge is to have same minded people to work on. Not many youth are interested in dedicating themselves completely rather it may be just to boost their resumes, so it would be a challenge to work with them.

Number three is obviously monetary issue. So reaching out to your network and convince people that your idea is quiet pretty and seductive and assistance to the idea would make a big difference. However, it is doable. 

"Short Bio: Shehab Shamir is the Founder and President of "Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (BYEI)"-a youth lead social Enterprise mainly focuses on capacity building of the youth on environmental issues. In this year BYEI will be launching its flagship Earth Champions Program to train, build capacity, and deploy young leaders to work for environmental sustainability.

His academic and research interest is in renewable energy field and has been working as an independent researcher on renewable energy.

His work on renewable energy and energy efficiency was recognized at renowned International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy and Clinton Global Initiative Conference, USA respectively.

He loves cricket and used to play a lot in early childhood. Still watching cricket is one of the favorite recreations. In leisure he loves swimming and reading books and magazines."

TB: What were the biggest obstacles you faced in your journey to date?

SS: The biggest challenge specially was human resources and people with interest to work in this field. And to start a social enterprise especially a movement and move it ahead is not a single-handed issue. Managing human resource efficiently was a great challenge.

Then comes, financing. In Bangladesh it is very tough. And if yours enterprise is a non-profit then it can lead you towards starvation! So financing and human resource were the two major challenges.

TB: Tell us about your mistakes and learning.

SS: Let’s focus on the learning part. I would say if you want to be successful then select some dedicated people who want to work and have a habit of “do first type” then bring them in and get started.

Collect people no matter if they are fewer in number with dedication, passion, and love for the idea you said to them and passion for the job and they should be dedicated for the longer period. And their purpose is not just boost up their CV, rather make an impact. Select someone with a bit less quality but with higher dedication and passion.

TB: Let’s say if you can start all over again, what are the mistakes you avoid and what are the positive things you would do first?

SS: This one is a bit challenging question just now. Though I would say my timing and calculation was not perfect. If I would start a bit later after increasing my capacity and network more, then I think it could bring a better result. So, if I get the chance again, I would start by having my all resources on hand..

TB: Advice our youth start-ups who are just starting his/her initiative and wants to bring it to success.

SS: I’ll say some of the qualities that are essential. Don’t start something just for fun. So when you feel you are really interested about something then only start it.

Be passionate about your issue, your work and love your enterprise.

Secondly- Be a risk taker because in the world of start-ups everything is uncertain and without taking risk you cannot expect something big. Importantly risk always brings surprising gifts! To me not taking risk is the biggest risk of the life!

Third-Be positive. You have to believe in yourself and your capacity that you can make the things happen otherwise none will believe you. Never back down.

And have a never give up approach. There would be lot of challenges eagerly waiting for you and people would not be encouraging rather some will discourage you.

So you should be prepared that none is going to help you! Remember, if you get frustrated then everything is going to be failed and frustration cannot reduce the bitterness of failure rather keep going can be a better solution. So my advice is, just never give up whatever it does and just hang on with your idea if the idea really came from your heart.

TB: From your perspective what is the mandatory trait/capability for a youth change maker to become successful?

SS: To me it is dedication. Just think some of the successful people of recent times like Steve Jobs, JK Rowling. He was a drop out of college and later, he dropped in classes which interested him. He attended calligraphy and drawing classes and you know the later history. He used those lessons in designing apple computer. Similarly, JK Rowling studied classics ignoring his parent’s advice to study a technical subject because she strongly felt the passion for it. So, that is what passion can do. Here you find thousands of examples of this kind of pure dedication.

TB: Thank you.

SS: Thank you too. 

Interview is taken by Mohammad Ruhul Kader & written by Muhammad Zakaria

P.S- Special thanks to Abdul Momin for walking us throughout the journey.

Whither development, our cherished dream since Independence?

Bangladesh. Photo Credit-Google

To us development is a very tantalising word and a long cherished dream in our national life. This dream is now 40 years old. But it seems that we are still not matured enough to achieve this change in our life. There is a great confusion regarding our living standard or our status of development, whether we are developed, developing or underdeveloped. If you are accustomed to listening to political rhetoric, I am sure, you will agree that we are going to emerge as a world economic power very soon! It would be very true, if you see eye to eye with the government party, but if you belong to the opposition, it would be empty talk. But, if you are like me a "Sadharon janagan", than we cannot be so optimistic or too pessimistic. The pathetic truth is that our development is stalled.

Normally, development means ensuring an acceptable standard of living for all people by improving their economic and social conditions. In context of poverty, it is eradication of poverty. In context of child labour, it is about protecting them from illegal employment. In case of illiteracy, it is ensuring education for all. Reaching a decent standard of living for all people, including giving everyone access to the basic rights- healthy food, housing, equal employment opportunity, standard health care, education, safety and security. The aim of development is to help people become more productive and to improve the quality of life of individuals, families, communities and the country as a whole. 

In this country development is one of the most pronounced words. Every day at least a hundred seminars on development issues are held in the capital city.

Development is a complex and difficult trajectory to go. A country must pay sufficient attention to social, economic, political, cultural and environmental issues to ensure development that would be sustainable and beneficial to all.

In case of Bangladesh, development is all about eradication of poverty. Poverty is more than a lack of money. It also means an uncertainty of the future and living one day at a time in great uncertainty. Poverty means lack of basic rights: nutrition, health, quality education, freedom of speech, and freedom of representation. It is about being invisible in society, voiceless in decision-making and powerless in the face of discrimination to improve their living conditions on their own.

In Bangladesh, poverty is the mother of all misfortunes. In a landscape of poverty many things come to light-from the quality of public services to unemployment, illiteracy to child labour, malnutrition to incompetence and corruption to lack of transparency. Our children are not getting even the basic, let alone quality education, our population is not productive enough, our women are not empowered sufficiently, our public services are not transparent enough, and our health care facilities are a mockery of the name.

None of the above is isolated. Each of them is related to the other. As our children are not getting education they remain less or unproductive. Because they are illiterate they are not conscious about their rights. As parents they will certainly live without jobs or have below standard income and live in abject poverty, and will also raise their children in starvation and illiteracy. The children will grow in malnutrition as part of an incapable and unproductive population and certainly would not have jobs or have underpaid jobs and become young parents themselves like their parents and will father another generation of unproductive population. It is a vicious circle devastating us and threatening our future. 

Despite vociferous talks on poverty alleviation more than 40 per cent of our total population still live under poverty line, and 25 per cent live in abject poverty. According to HDR (Human Development Report) -2009 of UNDP, Bangladesh ranked 112th in respect of human poverty, whereas, countries like India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Maldives ranked 88th, 101th, 102th, and 66th respectively.

It is a constitutional obligation of the government to ensure a decent living standard for all the population by alleviating poverty and ensuring basic rights. But majority of our population are denied a decent standard of living. Here development is all about lectures, big political rhetoric and unaccountable activities of the Non Government Organisations (NGO). No major initiative of the government to address this crucial problem has yet been taken. Even now, addressing poverty remains a great challenge, mainly due to non-integrated policy, ineffective strategy and resource constraints. 

To achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and alleviate poverty, the government has a number of programmes such as, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), social safety net, VGF and educational programmes.

Unfortunately, all these initiatives of the government get bogged down and fail to achieve the expected results. Now, the word development has become synonymous with NGO activities, as the government remains a mere spectator.

Poverty is now the name of a profitable business in the country. It inspires the dream of glory and fame. Everyone wants to be a hero either by helping the hapless or by helping himself or herself in the name of the philanthropy. It seems that everyone is interested in social work and wants to help the poor in all possible ways, but in reality it is different. Most of the NGOs giving micro-credit indiscriminately have no clear target, as to how they actually want to help the poor. Things start with giving a certain amount of loan at a certain interest rate and ends up leaving the loan-takers in a worse condition than before. It is easy to be paralysed by the enormousness of the initiatives, but it seems that our policymakers have no or little time to think on the matter twice. 

Major setbacks for development are: The lack of participation in decision and policymaking. Most of the policies related to poverty alleviation are formulated without taking any suggestions from the people living in poverty. 

Secondly, absence of integrated development framework-NGOs work on its own, while the government follows its own programmes. But for expected result an integrated work plan is needed.

Corruption and lack of transparency, imposed development policies by development partners, inefficient and insincere policy-makers, un-integrated mass initiatives, absence of proper monitoring cell for non-government development initiatives, exclusion of victims from policymaking, and political divisiveness are some of the other major problems thwarting development.

Development is a long cherished dream in our national life. We fought against Pakistani occupation forces with the dream of ensuring a decent life for our people. 

Even today that remains unfulfilled. Still challenges lie ahead. To us solution is always accidental. But in reality it is a process, systematic, logical and integrated. Since poverty is a tough enemy to defeat, an unplanned and un-integrated mass initiative can make the situation worse.As a nation we are now passing a crucial moment. The deadline for fulfilling MDG is knocking at the door. Standing at this crucial moment, time is now to take historic steps. So that we can tell our future generations that we are leaving this country-a safe and developed nation for them.

P.S-the article first published in The Financial Express. Here published by author

Gender equality for Development

"Trisha" is a student of the Marketing department at DU. As my classmate I know her well, an extraordinarily brilliant and charming girl with enormous energy, generosity, and confidence. She has a dream to be a politician to serve the country in broader context. But her father confined her to be a teacher of a primary school because a girl should not do manly job. She wants to marry a man of her choice but her father has selected a high profile boy as her escort for her whole life. She likes adventure but her escort dislikes it. Now she is feeling depressed and our highly enthusiastic and charming Trisha is becoming depressed day after day. Trisha is a single representative of the highly deprived female gender in this world of men. We know development is a fruit of combined effort and this fruit cannot be achieved by placing a large segment of work-force in side-bench. Unfortunately we are doing so. The main setback to the road to development is the participation gap. Without ensuring equal participation of women economic emancipation will remain an unattainable dream. So it is clear that participation of women is equally necessary in all sectors and it is a core demand for development.

Although we are talking more and arranging uncountable seminars on women right, our progress is very insignificant. Pathetically a number of our male folks today possess a negative mentality about equal right of women. 

Moreover, putting all of our efforts in vain, pathetic show of gender discrimination from family to state is going on. Teasing, physical and mental torture, sexual harassment and all other unscrupulous behavior with my sister is increasing alarmingly. There are many tangible factors and intangible forces behind this stagnation. Government is tampering with tendering process, different educational institutions are showing indifference to stop this illegal practice. Though they are talking about exciting steps but results are highly depressing.

To translate the dream of equality into reality some effective and efficient steps should be taken by all important partners of society. A paradigm shift of state, a breakthrough in the structured mentality of society and a conceptual clarity is highly needed. Considering all aspects, like all other societal partners youth also has responsibility to perform. They can firstly change their mental frame-work about gender equality; can promote this thinking through their active participation. They can raise their voice against all inhuman and discriminatory behavior against women.

Development is a long cherished dream in our national life. Gender equality with equal opportunity and participation in all stages of state and society should be ensured fully for the sake of development. And to ensure this equality youth must play their expected role because the best days start when everyone comes together.

P.S.-This article first published in The Star Campus- the Sunday Weekly of The daily Star. Here published by author.

Youth Factor

I have an incurable disease as my friends are saying; even some of them named it “Youth factor” as I’m wasting (according to my friends) most of my time behind searching, commenting on youth network, activities and youth contribution to development and positive changes,  through my broadband internet connection.


I don’t mind as my friends tease me because it is true that, googling youth network, & youth participation is my every day routine work. At list five times a day I Google the word “youth”… and try to hold the power of this word.


“A Bangladeshi Dream builder-youth have conquered Mt. Everest; an Australian youth completed her expedition around the world through sea route within 210 days, an American teenage conquered Mt. Everest at a very youngest age, and youth contribution in promoting MDG, struggle against AIDS, Poverty, climate change, conflict and so on.” A number of charming & shaking news created by youth make me charmed, confident and increase my thirst  to do something better for my country and society.


We know that, youth are the most important factor for all kind of development and positive change. Unfortunately in my country this very crucial factor is highly ignored & most underestimated factor. Youth are the true epicenter of all hopes of the nation. To combat against all critical challenges only youth can be the real soldiers.
Psychological research tells us that our lifelong behaviors are determined in large part by the influence of our circumstances. Although we are blaming youth continuously for their wrongdoing but never recognize that their environment also responsible for their behavior. Misdoing of youth is not a problem it is a symptom. To solve a problem we must find out the problem first, not the symptoms.


It is known to everyone that our youth has a legendary role in our national history, from 1952 to 1971 they played vital role in building the fate of our nation. But now what miracle & misfortune is driving our youth in a way that is destructive? This is a million dollar question to know the answer.


After the 32 years of Independence our nation is now passing its very crucial moment, though we have achieved freedom but we failed to make it meaningful for our people as they deserve it. The true meaning of freedom that are- free from poverty, discrimination, right of education, economic freedom, cultural dominance, mental peace all are still unfulfilled.
Youth constitute a major portion of our total population; they have power, intelligence, passion and patience for a change. But question is what kind of change they will bring it actually depends on how we use and channelize the power of youth. 


Today our nation is prepared for a social and economic transformation to make our future much better and secure. To mobilize & make this transformation smooth youth can play leading role but this is the responsibility to rest to give them opportunity and make them capable for leading such a responsibility.


For the sake of making our freedom meaningful the YOUTH FACTOR must be taken into proper consideration.
Eligible, effective & efficient plan should be taken to utilize the power of youth in productive field. Steps should be taken to build youth capabilities and create opportunities for exercising their choice.


Youth are promising to bring change but their voices are bound to lose in political rhetoric and overreaction. Steps should be taken to engage youth in decision making process. Process of political participation should be more transparent and unbound to ensure youth participation.


Proper opportunity, common platform, Quality education, efficient steps to empower, positive milieu should be enacted by all responsible authority.


Without utilizing power of youth it will be impossible to realize the expectation of Freedom. So this is the right time to take right steps for utilizing youth power.

Circle of Devil and our youth

I looked at them with strange eyes; their number is increasing day by day. When I first saw them they were four in number. All have hardly dressed and face of malnutrition. Now yesterday I saw another two joined with them. A good sign from their perspective, it gives them extra advantage in trouble.

“You know in street everything is uncertain, under open sky god own is unwilling to take our responsibility” one of them told me.

I’m talking about street children. All those I have found in my way to and back every day to my University hall. Akas, Selim, Hasan and Bellal are the four I know. They all live near my University campus. Simply trying to earning their living by selling fence chocolates, flowers. Sometimes they beg money and they have a very common slogan, “Duida( two) Taha( taka) den Kishu Khamu”. In evening when I go to TSC I feel an unknown addiction to talk to any one of them. When I asked them about their parents, “They also live in street near Kakrail”, – unwilling said Akas.

In a picture of poverty, everything reveals, from the humanity to personal responsibility, education to development, illiteracy to malnutrition. It has become a representative of the speed of one nation’s civilization and a multi-sectors parameter. As a source of the future, these children determine the competence of one country. Their ultimate existence will determine our sustainable development.

The parents who have no job or have below-standard-income and are living in a poor condition, they likely raise their children insufficiently, without enough food and adequate education. The children will grow as part of uncompetitive young adult population, hard to find job, and become young parents who will continue the remarks of their parents; raising their inborn children in a poor condition. This is an unscrupulous circle. People are living into this circle continuously getting the bitter experience of life. As the situation is going it seems their children will also remain under this circle-a circle of devil, where reality is harsher than imagination. The following result is a broken generation which named as an 

underdeveloped nation, unproductive and unprogressive too.

Every day we are talking about our population, population problem and so on. But why we do not talk about human resource. Ultimately population is turned into resource. Problem is we are getting failed to understand this reality. The most important issue to consider is realizing the importance of today’s child. It means recognizing the tomorrow’s leaders.

This condition of unscrupulous poverty should be eradicated as quickly as possible. Otherwise as a nation whole we will be failed to meet the challenges of future. But the reality is difficult. To ensure education for these underprivileged children is a tough task to materialize. The truth is that, only government may fail to make it happened. So government should take contingent approach. 

This approach can be in many types. But to me engaging our highly capable youth in this development process can make this process smoother. Our young generation is highly interested in development activities. It is said that more than 80% of youth are willing to participate in development programs and community development activities. Government can take this enthusiasm of youth to educate our underprivileged children. Through launching some youth lead community project can reduce this acute and devastating problem.

But our young generation is also in a circle of devil. The world of young generation is also full of frustration. Youngsters living in this country have greater aspiration than their access to modern amenities.

“Be careful; don’t try to see the reflection of our young in continuous student violence or in hip-hops of western night clubs rather they live in elsewhere, away from luxury and despicable madness. These youth have extra-ordinary dreams and capabilities to bring about positive changes.”

Think about Roni, an undergraduate student of Dhaka University, who takes the responsibility to teach slum children living near her home. MUNNI is an only example of our largely capable youngster. There are number of RonIS’ doing their best to make this country prosperous and a better place to live. But unfortunately they get our little attention and seldom get recognition for their accomplishment to society.

It is true that our youth have a number of necessities to utilize their capabilities. But in simple what they want are all about a place to express their thoughts, a source for getting inspiration in their hurdle, a station for refueling their tank of motivation, a compass for finding right direction, moreover some example to follow

Save the children save the future

photo credit-Google

Children are more than angel, trusting, full of potentials and full of heavenly love. And the power of children is always extraordinary to bring serenity if that get proper care and opportunity.
Every child is extraordinary and have right to live extraordinary life with all rights to grow up properly. The childhood of all children should be safe and happy and they should be grown up in a healthy environment so that their physical and mental development should not be hampered. You know, today's children are tomorrow's responsible citizens. Healthy growth of their thoughts and other aspects of life are important for sake of our healthy future.

The mind of kids is like bed of seeds; as they start growing up their thoughts start to transform into a concrete shape; that will lead their life in future when they will become young, if you nurture and sow high yield seeds then it give you to reap good crops, if you do inverse then result also like that.

Formation of strong, positive, right & mature thought in mind of youth should be started from their childhood. Only than this thought can make them righteous citizen for this country; who works for the betterment of the country that will create a prosperous future for all of us.  
But reality around us says differently and we seldom paying heed to this. Child abuse, child laborers, child malnutrition, child illiteracy are some common problems and common words too. Every day children are facing abusive behavior in homes, schools and in workplaces. Moreover here in Bangladesh children who are working as housemaids, have a very luxurious fate of being abused. The degree of exploitation to child labor; physically, mentally and economically are beyond calculation. Many of them are extreme victim of bullying and violence. In workplace children are made bound to do heavier job than their capacity; and most perilous news is that; day by day this unscrupulous treatment is increasing geometrically.

We have huge children without shelter and living in street and this number of street children is also increasing day by day. They are growing up without education, nutrition, proper health care, starvation and in insufficient living condition.

And the truth is that this most deprived population is our next generation, our future, our future leader. If this is the condition of our future; than think what is waiting for us; a broken generation with insufficient opportunity and productivity bound to build a broken nation.
As far I know, Bangladesh is the one of the signatory countries of UN child Rights Convention of 1998 but what is happening now is simply cruelty to our future.

Our future mustn’t live in such hazardous life. They must not live in abuse, in exploitation, in hunger, in malnutrition, and in illiteracy. They have right to live healthy life, right to get proper education and shelter. They have right to get nutritious food and recreation. They have also right to get proper and timely health care.
But it seems that we are highly indifferent about this crucial issue. But time is running out to take action. We certainly know that we must stop this, we must save our future. But problem is that, in our society the habit of taking responsibility in individual level is very low still now. Besides government initiatives on this very issue is highly insignificant.

UNICEF, Save the Children and other organizations who are advocating and working for children rights emphasizing on speaking out about children rights. And to speak out and raise voice is really an effective method to bring changes in society.

Besides, charity begins at home; in individual level we should be careful that we are not abusing any children and giving our children their rights adequately. Practice of listening child also important as children have the right to be heard according to UN child rights convention 1998, article 12. Authority must listen from children about the decisions that affect them. Listening from children grow the capability of communication and leadership in our future generation.

For underprivileged children; we all should feel responsible. We should take initiative to ensure proper education and nutrition for those broken fate children because they are our real future. We talked enough and we have enough workable theories and ideas to begin now what is needed is taking action without looking back and talking more. We know better that, there comes a time when execution is more important than theory.

Our children,our future and saving this future is our responsibility.