Tech research agency Prenuer Lab has introduced a civic-tech platform where youth actively join policy discussions, propose reform ideas, and support one another’s visions.

The platform titled “Reform Bangladesh” featured the read and support policy suggestions and submission of their own reform proposals along with a digital-first dialogue, read a press release.

Each idea is reviewed and compiled into a draft manifesto, shared with reform commissions and agencies, according to the developer. With over 250 trained youth, Reform Bangladesh (reform.preneurlab.org) is nurturing a generation of civic thinkers.

Over the past year, Bangladesh has endured one of its most turbulent transitions. A youth-led uprising ousted a regime accused of suppression and rights violations. Over 1,400 youth lost their lives, with thousands injured. The interim administration now seeks reform, but many non-affiliated youth remain excluded from these discussions.

With the mission to ‘equip the next generation with tools to shape their future,’ workshops were held at Jahangirnagar, Rajshahi, Varendra, and Daffodil universities, plus a virtual session connecting youth nationwide.

These sessions focused on policy advocacy, awareness, and creative content introducing the ‘Digital Manifesto’ as a civic-tech solution. “Even if a young person can’t walk into a reform commission’s office, their ideas can still land on the desk of decision-makers,” said Arif Nezami, trustee of Preneur Lab.

Officials have planned to expand the outreach, hosting policy hackathons and town halls, delivering youth ideas to policymakers and creating dashboards to track adoption.