DHAKA : Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikrom, today said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been playing a significant role in advancing parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh through its development projects and cooperation with the national parliament.
Hafiz made the remarks when UNDP Resident Representative in Dhaka Stephen Rodriques made a courtesy call on him at his office at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, according to a parliament secretariat press release.
The Speaker said UNDP has been operating in Bangladesh for a long time and remains an important development partner of the country.
He said the organisation has been making a meaningful contribution to the progress of parliamentary democracy by implementing various projects in collaboration with the Jatiya Sangsad.
Referring to the previous government’s 15-year rule, Hafiz Uddin said enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, money laundering and a politics of killings had deprived people of their fundamental rights.
He said democracy had been restored in the country through the national parliamentary election in February last, adding that a United Nations human rights investigation report had revealed the grim picture of the previous government’s rule.
The Speaker also sought UNDP’s support for the repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar, saying Bangladesh faces considerable challenges in dealing with the prolonged presence of the displaced people.
He said the long-term stay of around 1.5 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh had increased pressure on the national economy and local communities.
Stephen Rodriques said UNDP’s relationship with Bangladesh had continued to develop over time. The organisation has been working to promote cooperation at both global and regional levels, he added.
He said the current parliament was working to fulfil people’s aspirations and assured that UNDP remained ready to support orientation programmes and training for newly elected members of parliament.
Rodriques said UNDP was particularly interested in supporting gender equality through the engagement of lawmakers and facilitating the introduction of an e-parliament system.
During the meeting, the delegation exchanged views on global and regional human rights issues, programmes for women parliamentarians and energy-related matters.
The Speaker said opposition lawmakers had been actively participating in the proceedings of the current parliament and expressing their views during discussions on every bill.
He also praised the contributions of women lawmakers, saying each of them held an important position in their respective fields and played a commendable role in parliamentary activities.
Hafiz Uddin further informed the UNDP representative that Barrister Jahrat Adib Chowdhury, chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had been elected to the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for a four-year term at the 153rd IPU Assembly.
Parliament Secretariat Secretary Barrister Md Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan and officials from UNDP and the Parliament Secretariat were present at the meeting.
