Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the BNP not only restored multi-party democracy but also introduced parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat during a courtesy meeting with Inter-Parliamentary Union Secretary Anda Philip, according to Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin.

Rahman said his government was working to protect every citizen’s constitutional rights and ensure essential public services. He said democracy had been re-established after a long struggle and claimed that many BNP leaders and activists had faced enforced disappearance, killings and false cases. He said the February 12 election had helped open a democratic path in the country.

Philip praised Rahman’s leadership and said his regular attendance at parliament sent a strong message of commitment to parliamentary democracy. He welcomed education and community-based initiatives in the BNP election manifesto and expressed interest in deeper IPU cooperation with Bangladesh’s parliament. Rahman said women’s empowerment was a government priority, citing plans for free education through honours level, stipends for female students and the Family Card project to strengthen women’s financial independence and household decision-making.