'Self-defence is now essential'

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, emphasised the need for large-scale self-defence training in light of the country's geopolitical position and reality.

Asif made the remark on Sunday while speaking to journalists after inaugurating a self-defence training programme for 8,850 participants, who will receive training at the regional branches and headquarters of the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP) in Savar over two-and-a-half years.

The training includes judo, karate, taekwondo and shooting, with each batch receiving 12 days of basic training -- three days for each discipline. As of Sunday morning, 8,662 applicants, including 663 females, had registered for the course.

The inclusion of shooting in the self-defence programme raised eyebrows and sparked questions about the intention behind such training. Asif, however, tried to dispel the concerns.

"A certain group has spread rumours without any reason. You have already watched today's demonstration of what kind of training will be provided. Judo, karate and taekwondo are part of this programme, while shooting will be taught only at the theoretical level and practised with air-guns," the adviser explained.

"This initiative has been undertaken by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to strengthen the capacity of young people aged between 18 and 35. You know that skill-enhancement projects such as driving and computer training are already ongoing, and we have also introduced a project on artificial intelligence."

Asif also mentioned that the increasing incidents of rape and assault and concerns over women's security had influenced the decision to launch the training.

"You know that in many countries there is mandatory military training. Ours is far more basic. We want to increase the capacity of our youth -- especially when the security of women is a growing concern. Incidents of rape and assault have increased sharply, so self-defence is now essential," Asif said. "We think we need to conduct such training on a large scale in the context of our geopolitical position and the realities of the coming days."

Meanwhile, during his inaugural speech, the adviser referred to crises in and threats from neighbouring countries.

"In the last decade, we have seen the aggression of superpowers and mighty nations. We saw it in Ukraine, and we are watching it in Gaza," Asif said. "After the interim government's takeover, we saw war break out in one of our neighbouring countries, while another has been threatening constantly. Our patriotic youth have sacrificed their lives during various crises. We last saw it in the July uprising -- they protested with bricks against arms to defend sovereignty and free the nation from fascism. We want to make those young people more capable through training so that they can play an important role in future critical times."

Asif believes the training will build confidence, discipline, and a sense of responsibility among young people.

"We believe that young people who are aware and capable of self-defence can play a vital role in ensuring the safety of society and the country. This initiative is not only about enhancing physical capability but also an educational effort to build self-belief, discipline and responsibility among the youth," he opined.