136th IPU assembly begins in Dhaka

The 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly begins in Dhaka today focusing on taking decisive actions to end the rising social, political and economic inequalities and not to interfere internal affairs of states in the present global context.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the five-day long assembly at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad premises here this evening.

The theme of this year's 136th IPU Assembly is-'Redressing Inequalities: Delivering on Dignity and well being for all. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Children's Rights Activist Kailash Satyarthi will present key-note paper on the topic in the assembly.

Bangladesh Parliament is hosting the assembly of IPU, the century-old organisation of world's legislators, for the first time after joining the forum in 1972.

A total of 1,348 delegates including 650 parliament members, 53 speakers, deputy speakers and 209 women parliamentarians of 131 countries have been attending the mega event.

They will discuss about various issues focusing on redressing inequalities, ensuring women empowerment and the role of parliaments in preventing outside interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states during their deliberations in various sessions.

All the sessions of the assembly will be held in five venues of Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

A modern makeshift media centre equipped with computers, laptops, high-speed internet bandwidth and adequate manpower was set up at BICC for the local and foreign media to send news feed.

Earlier on Friday, IPU President Saber Hossain Chowdhury at a press briefing said the 136th IPU assembly would help showcasing the country's ongoing economic progress before the international community.

However, the government has taken full-proof security measures for the foreign dignitaries to hold the five-day long assembly peacefully.

The IPU Assembly, which was earlier called Inter-Parliamentary Conference, is the principal statutory body that expresses the views of the global forum on political issues bringing together parliamentarians to study international problems and make recommendations for action.

The IPU, established in 1889 with its headquarters in Switzerland, is the focal point for global parliamentary dialogues for peace, development, and cooperation among peoples, and for the safeguard of representative democracy.