Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has said he feels immense joy at having been able to restore democracy in the country after a long struggle. He said that after a prolonged struggle for democracy, the February 12 election paved the way for the country’s democratic process.
The prime minister made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General Anda Philip at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat on Tuesday, September 1.
During the meeting, Anda Philip praised Prime Minister Tareque Rahman’s leadership.
She said the prime minister’s regular participation in national parliament sessions carries a strong message of his firm commitment to parliamentary democracy.
Tareque Rahman said that in the long struggle for democracy, countless BNP leaders and activists were subjected to enforced disappearance and killing. He also noted that false cases had been filed against roughly 4 million leaders and activists.
The prime minister said BNP did not merely restore multi-party democracy; parliamentary democracy, too, came about through the party’s efforts. Although some challenges lie ahead, he said, his government remains firmly committed to democracy.
He said sustainable progress and development for the country are possible through an effective and strong democratic system. At the same time, he said, the government is working to protect every citizen’s constitutional rights and ensure the public services people need.
During the meeting, Anda Philip said she had read BNP’s election manifesto. She praised the various initiatives and community-based programs in the education sector outlined in the manifesto.
Praising the progress of Bangladesh’s parliamentary democracy, the IPU secretary general said that if this trend continues, public trust in state institutions and the democratic system will grow even stronger. She also said the IPU is keen to further strengthen the exchange of experience and cooperation with Bangladesh’s national parliament.
Anda Philip expressed hope that the relationship between the IPU and Bangladesh’s parliament would be further strengthened through the participation of the Bangladesh National Parliament’s speaker at the IPU’s 153rd conference, to be held in Tanzania. She also emphasized raising civic awareness to make democracy more effective and sustainable.
Women’s empowerment also featured prominently in the meeting. Recounting her experience meeting with young and women parliament members, Anda Philip praised their energy and enthusiasm.
The prime minister said women’s empowerment is one of his government’s top priorities. He also spoke of plans to provide free education for women through the honors level and introduce stipends for female students.
The prime minister also said that one of the main objectives of the Family Card project is to make women financially self-reliant and increase their participation in household decision-making.
Deputy Foreign Minister-1 Humayun Kabir and Deputy Foreign Minister-2 Shama Obaied were present at the meeting.