No More Teenage Pregnancy
With a strong call for collective action and youth leadership, the Divisional SRHR Knowledge Fair 2026 was held yesterday (17 May) at Hotel Agrabad, Chattogram, under the theme “Dream, Dare, Do — No More Teenage Pregnancy: Grassroots Power to Save Adolescents”. The daylong event was organised by RedOrange and implemented by Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), with support from AmplifyChange, bringing together around 250 young participants from across the Chattogram Division.
The program commenced at 10:00 AM with the national anthem, followed by the inaugural session. The session was chaired by Arnob Chakrabarty, Managing Director of RedOrange. Welcome remarks were delivered by Dr. Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Founder and Chief Executive of YPSA, while Afra Nawar Rahman presented the briefing note.
The chief guest of the program, Dr. Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, Divisional Director (Health), Chattogram, emphasised the urgency of addressing teenage pregnancy, noting that awareness must begin within families and be reinforced through collective social efforts. Begum Shahan Waz, Deputy Director of the Family Planning Department, attended as a special guest and highlighted ongoing government initiatives to tackle adolescent reproductive health challenges.
Chairperson of the session Arnob Chakrabarty noted that meaningful progress requires “aligning grassroots energy with institutional support to ensure adolescents are informed, empowered, and protected”. A powerful moment during the session came from Mosammat Mousumi, who shared her lived experience of child marriage and its long-term consequences, reinforcing the human dimension behind the statistics.
The Plannery session-1, titled “Youth Realising Dreams: Aims vs Action for SRHR,” was chaired by Jannatul Munia, Director-Strategy, RedOrange. The session explored the disconnect between youth aspirations and systemic barriers. Reflecting on the discussion, Jannatul Munia remarked that “young people already have the vision for change; what they need now is access, opportunity, and an enabling environment to act”.
The Plannery session-2, focused on the realities and risks associated with teenage pregnancy. Led by Shamima Chowdhury of BAPSA, the discussion brought together voices from law enforcement, legal aid, and the private sector. Panellists highlighted how stigma, lack of accurate information, and limited adolescent-friendly services continue to exacerbate vulnerabilities among young people.
The Plannery session-3, “Networking for Action: Strengthening Systems and Community Response,” featured a keynote by Dr. Jahangir Alam, Civil Surgeon of Chattogram. The session was chaired by DR. Md. Nurul Haque, Director, Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital. Emphasising systemic coordination, Dr. Nurul Haque noted that “strengthening healthcare systems must go hand in hand with community awareness to ensure sustainable reductions in adolescent health risks.”
The closing session, “Voice to Action: Shaping the Chattogram Declaration on Teenage Pregnancy,” was chaired by Nasim Banu Shyamoli. Prof. Dr. Pranay Kumar Mazumder joined as the Chief Guest, underlining the importance of evidence-based interventions. He observed that “addressing teenage pregnancy requires integrated public health strategies, where prevention, education, and service delivery are aligned.”
The event concluded with the “Voices to Action” session, where key recommendations were presented by Aruja Islam, Project Officer, Youth Share-Net. These recommendations focused on strengthening policy implementation and changing social norms to tackle teenage pregnancy. Throughout the fair, participants engaged in interactive discussions, exhibitions, and knowledge-sharing activities.
The event concluded with a thematic puppeteer drama, symbolising hope and collective commitment to ending teenage pregnancy. Organisers reiterated that tackling teenage pregnancy is not solely a health issue; it is a socio-cultural challenge that demands coordinated action across sectors.
