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A German parliamentary delegation led by Bundestag Member Nicklas Kappe paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram on Thursday.
The meeting was held at the Speaker’s office. The delegation included Bundestag members Gerold Otten, Johann Saathoff and Ulle Schauws, along with German Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Rüdiger Lotz. Germany’s Bundestag has confirmed that the delegation is visiting Bangladesh from September 17 to 19 as part of a wider parliamentary exchange with South Asia.
During the meeting, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad said Bangladesh and Germany have longstanding friendly relations, noting Germany’s support for Bangladesh since the country’s independence.
He said Germany is Bangladesh’s second-largest destination for exports within the European market.
The Speaker also spoke about Bangladesh’s democratic development and said the country had remained behind in terms of democratic governance despite holding elections since 1937.
Referring to the political developments of recent years, he said the Awami League government had undermined people’s voting rights through what he described as three successive “farcical elections”.
He said a mass uprising by students and the public had taken place against enforced disappearances, killings, extrajudicial killings and controversial elections, and claimed that democracy had subsequently been restored through a credible and impartial election. Similar remarks were reported following the Speaker’s meeting with the German ambassador on Wednesday.
Hafiz Uddin also highlighted the political role of women in Bangladesh, saying former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was the country’s first elected woman prime minister and that her contribution to women’s political and economic empowerment was significant.
He said the people of Bangladesh had repeatedly sacrificed for democracy and that their determination and struggle had made its restoration possible.
The Speaker informed the delegation that the current Parliament has six women MPs elected directly by voters and 50 women MPs occupying reserved seats. He said all of them are highly educated and established in their respective fields.
The two sides also discussed expanding parliamentary diplomacy through the formation of a Bangladesh-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group and exchanged views on the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
Hafiz Uddin said the current government was working to improve freedom of expression and the human rights situation in Bangladesh to international standards.
Representatives of the German Embassy and relevant officials of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat were also present at the meeting.
The German Bundestag said the delegation’s Bangladesh visit is aimed at parliamentary exchanges and deepening political, economic and cultural cooperation, with meetings planned with government and opposition representatives, parliamentary committees and other stakeholders.
