IPU to focus on militancy

Five-day event kicks off in Dhaka today

The 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly, which kicks off in the city today, will discuss various global issues such as growth of militancy and the impact of climate change on member-countries. IPU leaders said this while speaking at a press conference at the Media Centre of the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, venue of the five-day mega event, yesterday (Friday).
Saying that injustice and inequality in society are the main reasons behind extremism and violence in the world, the IPU leaders said they would determine their plan of action in line with governments of respective countries. The IPU president, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, said the IPU assembly would help showcase the country's ongoing economic progress and change the perception of the international community.
“It will create a unique opportunity for Bangladesh to showcase the country's ongoing economic progress and its potentialities before the international communities,” he said.
Describing terrorism and militancy as a global problem, the IPU chief emphasised the need to identify the reasons behind them.
“The lawmakers will discuss the issue and determine strategies in the assembly as to how they can work to deal with the problem, alongside strategies taken by the respective countries,” he said.
Parliament is not an extension of the government, and it has some work to do outside the government, and the IPU will do that, he added.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury termed the IPU Assembly as a major achievement for the country, saying that it would be a milestone in the forward march of Bangladesh's democracy and would bring rare honour to the country. "We will be able to project the country's ongoing progress, prospect and potentialities for building a hunger and poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh before the international community through the assembly," she added.
Chaudhury said Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah would lead a 17-member Bangladesh delegation during the assembly, first of its kind in Bangladesh.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, also a ruling party lawmaker, claimed that the world’s biggest parliamentary body is going to organise the Green Assembly for the first time.
He said after calculating carbon emission due to the arrival of a large number of foreign representatives in the assembly by planes, they would take measures to neutralise it for the sake of sustainable development.
He also said they would calculate the carbon footprint either on April 4 or 5 during the conference.
The IPU chief said they would launch IPU-TV for the first time. He expressed hope that it would make the assembly memorable.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the TV today during inauguration of the assembly at the South Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament Complex at 7:30pm. The Premier will also release a commemorative stamp on the occasion.
As per IPU convention, Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin will act as assembly president as the host country speaker.
The other programmes of the assembly will be held at five venues of the Bangabanadhu International Conference Centre (BICC), while the delegates would be housed in 15 hotels in the city.
Saber Hossain Chowdhury said IPU has created an app, namely “IPU136”, to reduce the use of paper.
He also said a total of 132 parliamentary representatives, including 45 speakers and 37 deputy speakers, would take part in the assembly.
As of yesterday morning, 1,348 representatives have arrived in Dhaka to join the assembly. Australia, Peru, Guinea, Moldova and Trinidad have expressed their inability to join the assembly on security grounds. Pakistan has withdrawn its name from the assembly without mentioning any reason, according to organisers.  
The secretary general of the IPU, Martin Chungong, also spoke at the briefing.
The theme for the 136th IPU Assembly is "Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and well being for all".
Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace
Prize laureate and children's rights activist, will present the key-note paper on the topic.
The Bangladesh Parliament is hosting the assembly of the IPU, a century-old organisation of the world's legislators, for the first time after having joined the forum in 1972.
A modern makeshift media centre, equipped with computers, laptops, high-speed Internet bandwidth and adequate manpower, has been set up at the BICC for the local and foreign media to send news feed.
Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Miah, Chief Whip ASM Feroz, Whip Iqbalur Rahim, MPs, IPU officials, among others, were present at the press briefing.
The IPU, established in 1889 with headquarters in Switzerland, is the focal point for global parliamentary dialogues for peace, development, and cooperation among peoples, and for safeguarding representative democracy.

IPU to focus on militancy

Five-day event kicks off in Dhaka today

The 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly, which kicks off in the city today, will discuss various global issues such as growth of militancy and the impact of climate change on member-countries. IPU leaders said this while speaking at a press conference at the Media Centre of the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, venue of the five-day mega event, yesterday (Friday). Saying that injustice and inequality in society are the main reasons behind extremism and violence in the world, the IPU leaders said they would determine their plan of action in line with governments of respective countries. The IPU president, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, said the IPU assembly would help showcase the countrys ongoing economic progress and change the perception of the international community. It will create a unique opportunity for Bangladesh to showcase the countrys ongoing economic progress and its potentialities before the international communities, he said. Describing terrorism and militancy as a global problem, the IPU chief emphasised the need to identify the reasons behind them. The lawmakers will discuss the issue and determine strategies in the assembly as to how they can work to deal with the problem, alongside strategies taken by the respective countries, he said. Parliament is not an extension of the government, and it has some work to do outside the government, and the IPU will do that, he added. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury termed the IPU Assembly as a major achievement for the country, saying that it would be a milestone in the forward march of Bangladeshs democracy and would bring rare honour to the country. We will be able to project the countrys ongoing progress, prospect and potentialities for building a hunger and poverty-free prosperous Bangladesh before the international community through the assembly, she added. Chaudhury said Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah would lead a 17-member Bangladesh delegation during the assembly, first of its kind in Bangladesh. Saber Hossain Chowdhury, also a ruling party lawmaker, claimed that the worlds biggest parliamentary body is going to organise the Green Assembly for the first time. He said after calculating carbon emission due to the arrival of a large number of foreign representatives in the assembly by planes, they would take measures to neutralise it for the sake of sustainable development. He also said they would calculate the carbon footprint either on April 4 or 5 during the conference. The IPU chief said they would launch IPU-TV for the first time. He expressed hope that it would make the assembly memorable. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the TV today during inauguration of the assembly at the South Plaza of the Bangladesh Parliament Complex at 7:30pm. The Premier will also release a commemorative stamp on the occasion. As per IPU convention, Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin will act as assembly president as the host country speaker. The other programmes of the assembly will be held at five venues of the Bangabanadhu International Conference Centre (BICC), while the delegates would be housed in 15 hotels in the city. Saber Hossain Chowdhury said IPU has created an app, namely IPU136, to reduce the use of paper. He also said a total of 132 parliamentary representatives, including 45 speakers and 37 deputy speakers, would take part in the assembly. As of yesterday morning, 1,348 representatives have arrived in Dhaka to join the assembly. Australia, Peru, Guinea, Moldova and Trinidad have expressed their inability to join the assembly on security grounds. Pakistan has withdrawn its name from the assembly without mentioning any reason, according to organisers. The secretary general of the IPU, Martin Chungong, also spoke at the briefing. The theme for the 136th IPU Assembly is Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and well being for all. Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and childrens rights activist, will present the key-note paper on the topic. The Bangladesh Parliament is hosting the assembly of the IPU, a century-old organisation of the worlds legislators, for the first time after having joined the forum in 1972. A modern makeshift media centre, equipped with computers, laptops, high-speed Internet bandwidth and adequate manpower, has been set up at the BICC for the local and foreign media to send news feed. Deputy Speaker Fazley Rabbi Miah, Chief Whip ASM Feroz, Whip Iqbalur Rahim, MPs, IPU officials, among others, were present at the press briefing. The IPU, established in 1889 with headquarters in Switzerland, is the focal point for global parliamentary dialogues for peace, development, and cooperation among peoples, and for safeguarding representative democracy.