OUR STORY

BYLC’s journey started in January 2008 when Ejaj Ahmad—then a graduate student at Harvard—conceived of a leadership program that would unite youth from diverse backgrounds, equip them with leadership skills, and engage them in active citizenship. Ejaj and Shammi Quddus—then an undergraduate student at MIT—developed a proposal for a month-long leadership program, Building Bridges through Leadership Training (BBLT), and won the Kathryn Davis Projects for Peace Prize in March 2008. This supported them to run a pilot BBLT program with 30 high school and college students from English medium, Bangla medium, and Madrassa backgrounds in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Following the tremendous success of the pilot, BYLC formed its Governing Board in October 2008. In early 2009, it was registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms in Bangladesh as a non-partisan social venture committed to promoting justice, prosperity, and inclusiveness in society by training the next generation of leaders. Subsequently, BYLC has developed relationships with many leading national and international organizations and expanded its programs to thousands of students from all corners of Bangladesh. Within a span of thirteen years, BYLC has transformed from a living room project to one of the most trusted, respected, and sought after youth leadership platforms in Bangladesh.

OUR VISION

A prosperous, just, and inclusive world driven by
courageous, compassionate, and competent leaders.

OUR MISSION

To build connections among youth from diverse backgrounds, equip them with leadership skills, and connect them to jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities, thereby enabling them to have high impact in public, private, and civil sectors.

OUR VALUES

Practice Adaptive Leadership

Stay diagnostic in the middle of action, take ownership, run experiments to innovate, and be committed to both action and reflection. 

Integrity

Be honest and transparent in all our dealings with students, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

Excellence In Everything We Do

Produce the highest quality of work through initiative, punctuality, attention to detail, positive energy, and professionalism.

Respect For
Others

Be open and tolerant to differing viewpoints, embrace diversity, and communicate with everyone with equal respect, regardless of their position in the organization.

Continuous
Development

Be committed to learning and helping others learn. Contribute to personal development by receiving feedback and contribute to the development of others by giving constructive feedback.

Empathy

Be understanding and non-judgmental in our dealings with students, colleagues, partners, and stakeholders. Listen with curiosity. First seek to understand, then to be understood.

OUR JOURNEY SO FAR

2008

July 18

Building Bridges Through Leadership (BBLT) program launched in Chattogram

2008
2009

January 5

BYLC registered as a non-profit in Bangladesh

2010

June 20

Building Bridges Through Leadership Junior (BBLTJ) program launched

2010
2011

March 3

First Youth Leadership Summit with 200 delegates

2011
2012

March 3

BYLC Graduate Network (BGN) launched for alumni engagement

2012

November 12

Art And Practice Of Leadership workshop launched

2010
2013

March 20

BYLC moves to its new headquarters and training facility In Baridhara J block, Dhaka

2013
2013

October 5

Youth Leadership Bootcamp launched

2013

November 7

MOU with ministry Of youth And sports

2010
2016

May 5

New branding and website launched

2016
2016

September 15

BYLC launches Office Of Professional Development

2016
2017

August 2

BYLC launches BYLCx (Online Learning)

2017
2018

August 2

First BYLC Running With Purpose held

2018
2020

January 5

BYLC moves to new office In Mohakhali

2020
2020

January 15

First cohort of BYLC Ventures selected

2020