Awareness matters as much as enforcement. Over the past few decades Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in many areas. But the benefits have not reached everyone equally. Unless the gaps between city and village, better-off and poor are narrowed, development will not last.

The proposal to policymakers is simple: before deciding, listen to the people the decision is for. Local experience is often more useful than the thickest report.

The young generation is this country's greatest strength. Guarantee them quality education, jobs and a safe space to speak, and there is every reason to be hopeful about the future.

In the end it comes down to trust. When citizens believe they will be heard and their taxes well spent, any initiative can succeed. Building that trust is the most urgent task now.

Views expressed are the writer's own.