DHAKA: Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said that issue based research findings can be useful for the parliamentarians to discuss in their parliaments in the way to formulating bilateral or multi-lateral treaties.

She was speaking in a roundtable entitled ‘India Bangladesh Bilateral Relations’ arranged by Delhi Policy Group, a leading think tank in India.

Dr Shirin said that although Parliamentarians are not usually directly involved in bilateral or multilateral talks, incorporation of their views in such talks is a must in a democratic system.

Discussion in the parliaments prior to resolving the bilateral issues helps in involving the constituents in this process and helps in enhancing people to people friendship.

The speaker said that Bangladesh and India has several issues to be resolved through negotiations.

Resolving of Ganges water sharing is a milestone in resolving issues through negotiations. Following this process the other issues like Teesta water treaty, Land Boundary Agreement or border tension issues can be resolved.

She opined that the issues can be put before the parliament, the parliamentarians can be apprised of such issues beforehand, they can be supplied with proper research reports formulated by the think tanks, and in such a way a vibrant discussion in the parliament can be ensured.

Critical issues can be discussed in the Standing Committees prior to the placement in the parliament.

Dr Shirin said that, in formulating the policies the parliamentarians would not be discussed before, but now the scenario is changing.

In the UN System now the parliamentarians are being discussed with before formulating development goals like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She opined that in the course of bilateral talks the parliamentarians can have participation. Think tanks’ expert details on technical or methodical issues like ICT can contribute in capacity building of MPs.

Parliament to Parliament cooperation and exchange can play a vital role in resolving bilateral tensions as well as in enhancing people to people friendship.

Among others Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq A Karim and DG of Delhi Policy Group Radha Kumar participated in the discussion.
 
The speaker called on Vice President of India and Speaker of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari at his residence Monday afternoon.
 
Vice President Hamid Ansari congratulated the Bangladesh Speaker on her being elected to the post of Chairperson Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). He also lauded her leadership in having Bangladesh elected as the Chair for the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) which was held in Geneva recently.

They discussed issues related to the functioning of the parliaments of the two countries and the ways and means to strengthen the parliamentary democracy in both the countries.
 
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury informed the Vice President of the various activities undertaken in Bangladesh Parliament for better functioning of the legislature.

She apprised the Vice President of different efforts undertaken for institutionalizing democracy through parliamentary process like hosting meetings of various parliamentary standing committees regularly.
 
Both the leaders emphasized on formulating parliamentary friendship Groups between the two countries for advancing people-to-people contact to further strengthen the existing friendly bilateral relationship between the two countries.
 
The Bangladesh Speaker highlighted Bangladesh's achievement in areas of social development particularly in women empowerment and in gender mainstreaming across various organs of the State. 

BDST: 1754 HRS, OCT 21, 2014