Md Arifur Rahman has received the Youth Volunteer Award 2026 in recognition of a decade of work supporting the rights of the boat-dwelling Manta community, assisting disaster-affected families and promoting environmental education and climate justice.
He received the award from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday (17 October) at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister's Office in Dhaka's Tejgaon, according to the press release.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports organised the ceremony, where Arifur was honoured in the "Environment, climate change and disaster response" category. State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque attended.
A total of 15 young people were selected for awards in eight categories recognising contributions to social development and voluntary service. Arifur currently serves as general secretary of YouthNet Global.
For the Manta community, rivers are home. Many families have lived on boats for generations, earning their livelihoods through fishing. Without permanent addresses, they face barriers to birth registration, national identity cards, education, healthcare and government social protection programmes.
Arifur, from Jhalakathi, began working with the community after encountering their struggles in Barishal in 2016.
His initial involvement focused on children's education, healthcare and emergency assistance. Over time, his work expanded to citizenship rights, financial inclusion and social dignity.
These activities have developed further through YouthNet Global's "MantaConnect" initiative. According to the organisation, the programme has connected 300 members of the Manta community to formal financial services, helping people previously excluded from the financial system access institutional support.
Working with the local administration, Arifur also helped arrange land for a burial ground for the community.
Without permanent settlements, Manta families had long struggled to find a designated place to bury their relatives. Securing burial space addressed a longstanding demand linked to both their rights and dignity.
Despite a decade of efforts, significant challenges remain. Effective access to birth registration, national identity cards, education, healthcare and social protection is still difficult for many community members.
Alongside his work with marginalised communities, Arifur has supported people affected by disasters.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he worked with young volunteers to deliver cooked meals to struggling families through community kitchens. He also participated in distributing food, medical assistance and emergency supplies to people affected by Cyclone Amphan, floods and other disasters across the country.
His work extends beyond emergency relief to longer-term recovery and livelihood opportunities.
Since 2022, he has been involved in YouthNet Global's "Char YouthNet Community" initiative in Kurigram, supporting activities to improve shelter, livelihoods and climate resilience for 95 vulnerable families living on river islands.
Environmental education and youth awareness are also central to his work.
Through organising and coordinating Eco Olympiad Bangladesh activities, Arifur has helped students learn about the environment, climate change, pollution and biodiversity. The combined efforts of organisers and partner organisations have enabled around 25,000 students in the Barishal region to participate.
He has also helped establish Youth Climate Clubs at 10 educational institutions in Jhalakathi, involving 300 students and 20 teachers.
Club members plant trees, promote waste management and tackle plastic pollution. They also identify environmental problems in their communities and take steps to address them.
Arifur is involved in youth initiatives advocating wetland restoration, the prevention of lead pollution, renewable energy and a just energy transition. These activities connect environmental protection with people's health, livelihoods and rights.
Having completed a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Arifur is now studying law. He hopes to continue defending the rights of marginalised communities while organising more young people around green employment and climate justice.
Reacting to the award, Arifur said, "I dedicate this recognition to all young volunteers. I believe young people can change society."
YouthNet Global Executive Coordinator Sohanur Rahman said Arifur had always approached his work as a matter of rights.
"Arifur has never viewed standing beside people as an act of pity or charity. He has worked to establish their rights and dignity. From the citizenship rights of the Manta community to disaster assistance and environmental education, his work shows how young people can play an effective role in solving local problems," Sohanur said.
The national recognition comes with continuing responsibilities. Arifur intends to keep working to secure the Manta community's citizenship rights, protect the lives and livelihoods of people vulnerable to disasters and involve young people in building an environmentally sustainable future.
For him, the award offers fresh encouragement to continue that work and advance the rights and dignity of marginalised people.