Brac’s “Carnival of Change 2025” showcased social initiatives and innovations by young entrepreneurs and changemakers, featuring a two-day program of discussions, workshops, and idea exchanges aimed at driving national progress.
The event, held on Saturday and Sunday at the Brac CDM premises in Savar, brought together more than 250 young people from across Bangladesh in an inspiring gathering of emerging leaders.
Addressing the participants, Hossain Ishrath Adib, Senior Director of Brac’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Integrated Development, and Ultra-Poor Graduation Programs, noted that solutions often fail when forced into preconceived frameworks. He stressed that real progress requires unlearning the theories and processes people tend to rely on, adding that local communities remain the true teachers when addressing local issues. He emphasized the need to adapt thinking to society instead of shaping society to fit imposed models.
A major highlight was the intergenerational dialogue “Building a Better World,” moderated by Md Shariful Islam Hasan, Associate Director of Brac Migration Program and Youth Platform.
During the panel, columnist and researcher Afsan Chowdhury said the Liberation War was a revolution driven by the people’s sacrifices. He highlighted Brac founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed as an extraordinary figure in society, noting that Abed had raised funds from abroad to support the war.
Sara Hossain, Senior Advocate at the Bangladesh Supreme Court and Executive Director of BLAST, urged young people to raise their voices against injustices, encouraging them to debate, discuss, and express themselves freely.
Triathlete and Ironman Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Arafat; Dr Manoshi Saha, Founder of Travelettes of Bangladesh; and July 2024 Student Movement survivor Kazi Abdullah also shared their perspectives during the dialogue.
A personal well-being session was conducted by Miftah Zaman, Assistant General Manager, Learning and Leadership Development at Brac.
In “Impact Talk: Story of Resilience,” weightlifter Mabia Akhter shared her journey of overcoming adversity.
The event also featured a youth-driven interactive panel on career guidance with Shamma Tasnim, General Manager at Robi Axiata; Rezaur Rahman Nafiz, Vice President at bKash; and Nazibul Islam Sharker, Assistant General Manager at Brac. The session was hosted by Tasmim Hossain Tuba of the Amra Notun Network.
The panel discussion “Paths Less Taken,” moderated by Dipty Chowdhury, included contributions from Shah Rafayat Chowdhury, Co-Founder and President of Footsteps Bangladesh; Athai Das Tinni, Content Creator, Books and More with Athai; Rashad Imam Tanmoy, Founder of Cartoon People; Sabbir Ahmed, AI Instructor at Learning Bangladesh; and Pushpita Chowdhury, Founder of Paint Your Thoughts.
Mahfuz Russel, Founder and Executive Director of the Pittachhara Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, shared his story of resilience. The event further hosted multiple youth-centric sessions under “Amra Notun Adda,” encouraging engagement and peer learning on topics such as Learning Beyond Barriers, Let’s Air It Out, Fact or Fake, Heal and Chill, Unlearning Pink and Blue, Hands on Climate, Click to Thrive, and First Aid for Everyone. The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Detepriya Roy, Senior Manager of Brac’s Youth Platform.
On the opening day, twelve initiatives were selected from participants’ innovations and social ventures. Stories of Inclusion, an accessible audiobook project for children with disabilities; Jolshikha, an initiative producing eco-friendly charcoal from coconut shells; and GoodDo Toys, which designs inclusive educational toys for children, received the Young Changemakers Award 2025. For the first time, award winners were also selected for Brac’s Social Entrepreneurs’ Fellowship.
Brac’s Amra Notun Network (ANN) works with university students, providing training, mentorship, and opportunities to develop leadership skills. Established in 2018, the network has expanded to 17 districts across Bangladesh. More than 2,600 young people have completed training under ANN, and many have gone on to earn recognition from the Gates Foundation, NASA, and the United Nations. ANN alumni continue to support the platform, offering mentorship to newer participants.
