UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram MP at his office in Dhaka. The meeting was attended by UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Sonali Dayaratne, Assistant Resident Representative Anwarul Haque, Assistant Programme Advisor (Governance) Dragan Popovic, and Senior Governance Specialist Tanvir Mahmud. Discussions covered e-governance, e-parliament initiatives, parliamentary standing committee activities, and procedural matters.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad emphasized the need to identify areas of cooperation between the UNDP and the National Parliament. He suggested that UNDP could assist in orientation courses for new members of parliament to familiarize them with their duties and responsibilities. He also proposed bilateral exchange visits, particularly involving women MPs, and highlighted the importance of digital library systems, smart technology in parliamentary sessions, and an in-house printing press.

Stefan Liller described the current parliament as vibrant and reaffirmed UNDP’s long-standing partnership with Bangladesh. Both sides also exchanged views on the ongoing energy crisis and democratic governance, noting the neutral stance of several European countries.