Twenty graduates were selected for the inaugural NexGen Graduate Fellowship through an equity-focused sprint in Dhaka, aiming to strengthen youth leadership, collaboration, and social impact through cross-sector engagement.
Twenty young graduate leaders from across Dhaka have been selected for the first cohort of the NexGen Graduate Fellowship Programme through a two-day “Equity-Focused Selection Sprint” held in Dhaka.
The programme, organised by YouthNet Global in partnership with JAAGO Foundation Trust, is being implemented under the Nagorikata Civic Engagement Fund (CEF), supported by Switzerland, Canada and the European Union in Bangladesh.
Held at Platinum Grand in Banani on May 18 and 19, the intensive selection sprint brought together 40 finalists from more than 3,000 applicants who participated in a multi-stage selection process.
The six-month fellowship aims to prepare graduate youth to create meaningful social impact by strengthening leadership, collaboration, communication, adaptability and problem-solving skills through engagement with government, academia, civil society and the private sector under the Quad-Helix framework.
The selection campaign began in April through a district-wide outreach initiative supported by prominent youth influencers and content creators including Ayman Sadiq, Parisha Shakur and Karina Kaisar. Organisers paid tribute to Karina Kaisar, noting that her contribution to the fellowship campaign became one of her final works before her passing.
Unlike conventional recruitment processes, the Equity-Focused Selection Sprint was designed as a holistic leadership assessment. Participants took part in collaborative problem-solving exercises, leadership readiness assessments and innovation challenges.
A five-member panel representing different sectors under the Quad-Helix framework assessed participants throughout the sprint, while moderators evaluated teamwork, communication, inclusion, leadership initiative, time management and analytical capacity.
One of the programme’s notable moments came during the opening session conducted by Dr. Adi Walker, who encouraged participants to step beyond their comfort zones and embrace proactive leadership through interactive engagement and storytelling.
Selected fellow Anonna Haque described the experience as “a mixture of excitement, experience and networking,” while fellow Neamul Islam said the initiative marked “the beginning of learning how different systems, people and ideas can move together for the betterment of our country.”
The event was attended by Sohanur Rahman and Korvi Rakshand, who highlighted the importance of developing future graduate leaders capable of working collaboratively across sectors.
“Bangladesh needs a new generation of graduate youth leaders who are empathetic, collaborative and capable of working across systems to solve real-world challenges,” said Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global.
Korvi Rakshand, executive director of JAAGO Foundation Trust, said the fellowship was creating “a platform where youth can strengthen their leadership, build cross-sector understanding and become active contributors to positive social change.”
Organisers said the NexGen Graduate Fellowship Programme aims to build a future-ready generation of young leaders equipped with the skills, networks and collaborative mindset needed to contribute meaningfully to professional fields in the future.
