IPU assembly reflects global confidence towards Bangladesh democracy: Speaker

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker and 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury yesterday said Bangladesh successfully staged the global forum’s assembly gaining international confidence towards Bangladesh's democracy.

"I personally think that wide range of participation of all IPU members has reflected great confidence and faith towards the advancement of democracy in Bangladesh, she told a press conference after closing of the five-day long 136th IPU Assembly at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here.

IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, Chief Whip of Jatiya Sangsad ASM Feroz, Deputy Speaker M Fazley Rabbi Miah and IPU Communication Officer Jean Miligan, among other, were present in the press conference.

Dr Shirin, also executive chairperson of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), said the bold and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina touched people across the world.

Parliamentarians of different countries responded to Bangladesh's advancement in different areas through participating in the IPU assembly, she added.

In reply to a question, she said, "We have projected a positive Bangladesh through organizing the IPU Fair. This is another achievement of Bangladesh as a host country of this IPU Assembly."

"A lot of issues including women empowerment, gender parity, health and education have been discussed during the five-day assembly of IPU.

Parliamentarians of the IPU member states have produced very effective outcomes, which eventually help to promote women empowerment efforts through their wide participation in every sphere of development," she said.

She said delegates of different IPU countries lauded the progress of Bangladesh made under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and they said Bangladesh is not only a model country for development areas but also a model country for parliamentary democratic practices.

At the IPU Assembly, global parliamentarians raised their voices to fight inequality, violence and gender disparity, she said, adding, "The 136th IPU Assembly was very significant and vibrant gathering of global parliamentarians as it has reached to very concrete decisions, which will help to combat inequality and all sorts of violence as well as to establish equity based society."

Saber Hossain Chowdhury said Bangladesh has achieved a lot through successful holding of the 136th IPU Assembly as it has been able to prove its ability to hold such mega event of global leaders.

Echoing Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, he said Bangladesh has showcased its quality of different products through the IPU fair.

The participants of IPU were highly impressed with excellent displaying of Bangladesh's goods, which eventually foster the volume of trade in future.

This assembly will be a milestone one in the history of IPU as it has taken various significant steps to end inequality and combat all kinds of violence, he said.

"Now, we are waiting to get recognition of world community as a green assembly......during the five-day assembly we have emitted 3,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide. So we have taken a measure to neutralize carbon emissions.

The IPU has decided to distribute modern stove to minimize already emitted carbon during the assembly," he added.

Bangladesh Parliament Speaker and Chairperson of 136th Assembly Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury presided over the concluding session in which IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Secretary General Martin Chungong addressed.

Some 1,206 people attended the IPU 136th assembly arranged by Bangladesh parliament and the IPU.

Among them, 607 MPs from 126 countries, 46 speakers of parliament, 36 deputy speakers and 191 women MPs took part in the global event.

Source: BSS