Dr Rounaq Jahan on strengthening democracy, published in The Financial Express, on Monday, 16 September 2013.
Strengthening voices for democracy stressed
FE Report
Speakers at a roundtable organised to observe the International Day of Democracy 2013 have underscored the need for strengthening voices for democracy in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and the Improving Democracy through Parliamentary Development (IPD) Project of UNDP jointly organised the discussion in the city Sunday, said a press release.
They, however, laid emphasis on improving similar other indicators for enhancing quality of democracy like the rule of law and the control of corruption.
Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, MP, attended the occasion as the chief guest and Country Director of UNDP Bangladesh Ms Pauline Tamesis was present as the special guest.
Renowned Political Scientist, Researcher and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue Professor Dr Rounak Jahan made the keynote presentation on “Strengthening Voices for Democracy,” the theme for this year’s International Day of Democracy. Chair of the Committee on Government Assurances Professor Md Ali Ashraf moderated the roundtable.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Advocate Fazle Rabbi Miah, MP, Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, MP, and Mayeen Uddin Khan Badal, MP, spoke as the panel discussants.
They made particular reference to representative and inclusive democracy, sustainable democracy and participatory democracy in the context of Bangladesh.
Additional Secretary (IPA), Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and National Project Director, IPD Pranab Chakraborty spoke on the objectives of the programme with Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat Md Mahfuzur Rahman in the chair.
Members of Parliament, representatives of the civil society, development partners and media, youth representative and officials of the Parliament Secretariat attended the discussion.
Prof Rounak Jahan in her keynote presentation showed from 1998 until 2011, Bangladesh has fared well in the voice and accountability, an indicator for quality of democracy, while the progress is low with regard to two other indicators of quality like control of corruption and rule of law.