CU CORRESPONDENT
The “CivicPulse Summit 2026” took place at the Faculty of Social Sciences auditorium, University of Chittagong, bringing together students, academics and civic leaders to discuss digital rights, democratic participation and youth engagement. The event was organized by PreneurLab Limited in collaboration with the Chittagong University Research and Higher Study Society (CURHS).
Speakers at the opening session underlined the urgent need for youth involvement in civic and democratic spaces. Special guest Dr. Md. Enayat Ullah Patwary called on young people to strengthen their understanding of political and social realities, while Professor Momtaz Uddin Ahmed highlighted their role in policy and administrative decision-making. Dr. Masud Kamal spoke on youth leadership, Dr. Dominic Whitaker (AUW) addressed digital rights and online safety and Dr. Mohammad Mohiuddin stressed the importance of active civic participation among young people.
Effat Jahan Efa, Project Lead and Regional Coordinator of Bangladesh Students for Liberty (SFL-BD) said the initiative goes beyond theory; it builds real, usable civic skills in young people.
The summit featured panel discussions, a Civic Innovation Showcase and the Micro-Civic Innovation Challenge, where participants presented solutions on misinformation, voter awareness and online safety. Winners were recognized across two categories. In Video Advocacy, Md. Shihab Babu placed first, Nusrat Jahan Borsha second and Atoshi Aranya with Md. Jihad Ali third. In the Digital Toolkit Challenge, Md. Bappi won first place, followed by Md. Shihab Babu and Farjana Jahan Tayeeba in second and Imam Hasan Saikat with Nafiz Imtiaz in third.
The initiative is run by SFL-BD, supported by CIVICUS, Accountability Lab, Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI), and the Students For Liberty Global Accelerator Program (GAP).