Before discussing the main topic it’s needed to tell a little bit about me who want to say something that may be meaningless to everybody about debating as I am not specialist in debating. Any way! I like debating. From my boyhood I started to practice it. In school life I got the opportunity for participating national television school debate competition. I was the former captain of Barisal Zilla School Debating Team. At present I am engaged in Debating Society of RUET. Still now I carry on debate practicing. Though in school life I followed the ancient way, so called script based, of debating, mostly now parliamentary format is followed. So I know about both popular formats of debate. Perhaps my knowing may not be proper. Because knowing is endless.
Most of the debate competitions are organized in Dhaka. As because a lot of latent debaters often fail to participate those programs due to lack of time, money & many other facilities. Many educational institutes, outside Dhaka, do not want to sponsor the student-debaters. Sometimes parents’ support is not available. To solve these problems organizers who arrange debate competition in Dhaka should take initiatives immediately for arranging debate contest outside of capital regularly. It is a matter of hope that Bangladesh Debate Federation (BDF) & National Debate Federation (NDF) have come out of Dhaka to organize national type debate competitions through which many talent were identified. If the habit of centralism is given up, then everybody of the world of debate of Bangladesh may be hopeful.
Now-a-days many young debaters neglect the ancient format of debating. I know parliamentary format is more interesting & exciting. But present is based on past. So both the formats should be considered with equal respect. Debate, based on funny topic, may be called as fun-debate that gives a lot of pleasure to the audience. But this type of debate is not in the real formats of debate. Can it be included in a formatted way?
Ours’ have many organizations those work with debate, debaters & debating. It is heard that unfortunately some of those organizations work by deep political influence. I think debate is an art that comes from heart & mind & thoughts where no political influence plays vital role.