'Your dreams will be Bangladesh's dream'

Famed former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who had travelled frequently within his country and outside to inspire the youth, also mesmerised students in Dhaka with his captivating speech.

In October last year, he came to Dhaka to attend the 110th founding anniversary of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The two-day celebration kicked off with his conversation with students.

"There will always be problems in life. Problems should not become your captain, rather you should become the captain of the problem, defeat the problem and succeed," said the famous scientist while addressing more than 700 university students at the Sonargaon Hotel on October 17.

Kalam, who worked for the youth in his country for long, said he met 18 million youths at home and abroad in the last two decades "in order to know their dreams".

He said the youth of Bangladesh formed a significant demographic and would soon make up half the country's population.

"Their concerns, issues and opportunities will be crucial for the growth and development of Bangladesh.

"Your dreams will be Bangladesh's dream, your thoughts will be Bangladesh's thoughts, and your actions will be Bangladesh's action," he said.

Kalam, who launched a movement involving youths to fight corruption in India, said the youth needed to have a great aim in life because a "small aim is a crime".

He urged the youth to acquire knowledge and work hard even at difficult times to achieve the goals, as he repeatedly addressed the audience as "young fellows".

The former president said though his childhood dream of becoming a pilot didn't come true, it didn't stop him from working hard.

"How you manage your failure is a big issue. Great leaders know how to handle success and failures equally."

He said leaders should be the ones who took the blame in case of any failure and celebrated success with all people associated with it.

"Leaders should be where the problem is."

In an attempt to evoke dreams in the hearts and minds of the participants, Kalam referred to a poem of the great Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi.

"I am born with potential. I am born with goodness and trust. I am born with ideas and dreams. I am born with greatness. I am born with wings. I am not meant for crawling because I have wings. I will learn to use them and fly."

Kalam said he modified the poem a little to make it relevant to Bangladeshi youths.

The following day, he spoke at another programme, also organised by the MCCI.

"You bring economic prosperity to the affected people or to alienated people. So, that prosperity comes in, terrorism slowly declines," Kalam said in his inspirational speech at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.