French Parliamentary Delegation Pays Courtesy Call on Speaker
A French parliamentary delegation paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the Bangladesh Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram MP at his office on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad said France had been a trusted friend of Bangladesh since the Liberation War.
He said France was Bangladesh’s second-largest trading destination in Europe. Bilateral relations would be further strengthened through the formation of a France-Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus.
The Speaker said the democratic rights of the people of Bangladesh had been undermined during the past 15 years of Awami League’s autocratic rule. The people of Bangladesh are democracy-loving. They have never surrendered themselves to autocratic rule.
He said the people of Bangladesh had upheld their respect for democracy. The Speaker praised the significant role played by French citizen André Malraux in the Liberation War and paid tribute to his memory.
During the meeting, the delegation emphasised the formation of a France-Bangladesh parliamentary committee, expansion of parliamentary diplomacy through a friendship group, and exploration for and drilling of oil and gas wells in Bangladesh’s coastal areas to boost economic investment.
On behalf of the French Senate, the delegation invited the Speaker and the Bangladesh parliamentary delegation to visit France.
Members of the French parliamentary delegation, officials of the French Embassy and relevant officials of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat were present at the event.
