Amid rapid technological change, social instability, gender-based violence, climate disruption, and political volatility, Bangladesh’s education sector stands at a critical crossroads. Recognizing this pressing issue, IID and Youth for Policy (YfP) launched Policy Hackathon 2025 under the theme “Education in Times of Transition” to inspire youth-led solutions that bridge learning gaps and social inequalities exposed in the post-pandemic era.
Youth for Policy (YfP), the youth platform of IID, has been organizing its flagship competitive and collaborative event, the Policy Hackathon, since 2021—where diverse young people from across Bangladesh tackle societal challenges through innovative policy solutions. This year, YfP hosted the five-day residential Policy Hackathon 2025 in Dhaka to empower young people to reimagine Bangladesh’s education system for a more inclusive and resilient future.
Held at Dhaka City, the event featured a series of expert-led sessions, mentorship, and intergenerational dialogues, concluding with the final pitching and award ceremony at the Bangladesh Military Museum. 60 youth participants from 15 districts across Bangladesh engaged in workshops on gender equality and social inclusion, policy advocacy, project management, and communication—mentored by YfP alumni and previous policy hackathon participants and professionals from the education and development sectors.
A key highlight of the event was the opening-day panel discussion titled “Education in Times of Transition: Navigating Crisis and Building Resilience,” featuring Prof. Sumera Ahsan (Institute of Education and Research, University of Dhaka), Md. Forhad Alam (Deputy Director, Directorate of Primary Education), Prof. Manzoor Ahmed (Brac Institute of Educational Development), Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid (Assistant Director, National Academy for Educational Management – NAEM), and Sunjida Rahman (Senior Joint Director of IID and Head of Youth for Policy). The session was moderated by Syeed Ahmed, Founder and CEO of IID.
Speakers emphasized the urgency of addressing learning loss, inequality, and teacher shortages through inclusive and ethical education reforms.
Prof. Manzoor Ahmed remarked, “Young people deserve credit for driving inclusive education, but policymaking must ensure participation from all levels.”
Md. Forhad Alam noted, “Without an updated curriculum, skilled teachers, and effective remedial education, it will be impossible to overcome learning poverty.”
Prof. Sumera Ahsan added, “Students must be taught how to use AI ethically to enhance their competence and skills.”
Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid stated, “There is no emotional connection between teachers and students — this is a reality. The teacher recruitment process must be properly ensured.”
Additionally, During the discussion, Sunjida Rahman, Senior Joint Director of IID and Head of Youth for Policy, reflected on the impact of political unrest of July 24 on the education sector in Bangladesh. She noted, “We have witnessed how the student uprising in July 2024 educational institutions were closed indefinitely, exams and classes were postponed which may cause additional pressure among children and youth, depriving them of a resilient and uninterrupted education system.” Syeed Ahamed, Founder and CEO of IID, also shared insights from IID’s recent study, explaining that post-pandemic socio-economic pressures have led to higher school dropout rates, as many parents—fearing for their daughters’ safety—chose early marriage as a form of protection.
Throughout the week, sessions on design thinking, stakeholder analysis, and communication for policy advocacy helped participants transform their ideas into evidence-based action plans addressing real community challenges.
Notable guests included Julian Henry Francis, disability inclusion expert; Rasheda K. Chowdhury, Executive Director of CAMPE; Khandoker Lutful Khaled, IID’s Education Advisor; and Elahi Rawshan, a Harvard-trained policy specialist, who guided participants on strategic advocacy using Marshall Ganz’s framework “Organizing People, Power, and Change.”
In the Intergenerational Dialogue with Julian Francis, a veteran development practitioner, he encouraged youth to learn from past struggles and bridge generational gaps in education reform. “Learning by doing and connecting with communities is the foundation of meaningful change,” he shared.
During her dialogue with participants, Rasheda K. Chowdhury emphasized, “Education is our constitutional right—no one can take it away. But we must ask: is education still a right, or has it become a privilege?”
Furthermore, Elahi Rawshan led the sessions “Communication for Policy Advocacy” and “Strategic Communication for Policy Advocacy,” helping youth understand that “Policy advocacy isn’t just about demands—it’s about connecting lived experiences with decision-making.”
By the end of Day 4, all teams refined their projects through mentor guidance and sessions on Policy Advocacy, Risk Mitigation, and Monitoring & Evaluation, preparing for the final round of pitching. During the Demo Pitch Presentation, Khandoker Lutful Khaled, Education Advisor at IID, provided valuable feedback to help participants strengthen the clarity and policy alignment of their proposals. Participants then finalized their presentations for the finale. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “Many of the participants are youth, and it was wonderful to see young people developing policy solutions with the skills and capacity they have. In the future, there will be many opportunities to work with them.”
The final day marked the culmination of five days of learning, collaboration, and innovation. The morning began with the Preliminary Pitching Round, where all fifteen teams presented their projects before the internal jury panel. Based on relevance, innovation, feasibility, and impact, the top five teams were selected to compete in the final round.
The Grand Finale Jury featured Nazim Farhan Choudhury (Managing Director, Adcomm Limited), Azmeri Haque Badhon (Actress and Social Advocate), and A.K.M. Fahim Mashroor (Founder and CEO, bdjobs.com), who commended the creativity and analytical rigor of the youth teams. The five finalist teams presented innovative, evidence-based policy solutions addressing diverse challenges such as teacher shortages in indigenous communities, limited access to education in climate-vulnerable districts, digital literacy, and reducing school dropouts linked to child labor and early marriage. During the final round, the jury members shared words of encouragement and reflection on the youth participants’ dedication and creativity. Azmeri Haque Badhon expressed her appreciation, saying, “It’s wonderful to see youth from all over Bangladesh sharing their ideas. Congratulations to everyone who took part.” Fahim Mashroor highlighted the ongoing challenges in the education sector, noting, “We’ve seen how unequal access still affects education. There’s so much more to be done, and we must continue together.” Meanwhile, Nazim Farhan Choudhury praised the collective spirit of the participants, stating, “Every team had unique strengths—it was truly difficult to decide the best. You all share the same goal: taking our country forward.”
Policy Hackathon 2025 is part of IID’s broader mission to make public policy inclusive and evidence-based, aligning with initiatives such as the Youth Manifesto 2025 and the Policy Camp. The youth-generated policy ideas from the Hackathon will now move into prototype testing, advocacy, and pilot implementation through Youth for Policy committees across Bangladesh—ensuring that young voices continue to shape the country’s education landscape and advance the vision of an informed, inclusive, and democratic generation.