21 senior political leaders graduate from Democracy International's fellowship programme

Twenty-one senior central and district-level leaders, including presidium and executive committee members, coordinators, presidents and general secretaries of district committees from Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, Ganosamhati Andolan, and Gono Odhikar Parishad, representing nine districts, have completed Democracy International’s (DI) Senior Leaders Fellowship Program (SLFP). This marks the 11th cohort of high-ranking district and city officials to graduate from the multiparty fellowship initiative, according to a media statement Tuesday.

The SLFP is a collaborative educational platform where senior leaders from different political parties come together to discuss major political issues. It also builds a spirit of camaraderie among participants, who pledge to uphold political tolerance and unity through their shared experience.

DI awarded graduation certificates to the 21 senior leaders at a ceremony held on Monday (15 September 2025) in Dhaka, under the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) Bangladesh-Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics (B-CAPP) Programme, which works to promote internal democracy in political parties and encourage inter-party cooperation.

As part of the fellowship, the leaders received training on a wide range of topics, including leadership, political finance, electoral reforms, democracy indicators, political communication and campaign management, electoral code of conduct and voting process, and women’s participation in politics. So far, 255 senior leaders from seven political parties have completed the course.

BNP National Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen, Ganosamhati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, and Gono Odhikar Parishad General Secretary Muhammad Rashed Khan handed over certificates and crests to the fellows. British High Commission Governance Advisor Emma Wind, Democracy International’s Chief of Party Catherine Cecil, Deputy Chief of Party Aminul Ehsan, and Principal Director Dr Abdul Alim also attended the ceremony.

In her closing remarks, Catherine Cecil, Chief of Party of Democracy International, said the batch was special as it brought together senior leaders from all major political parties, both at central and grassroots levels. “All of you are key leaders in your parties and are well positioned to take these ideas forward to promote representative, accountable and peaceful politics,” she told the graduates.