The people of Bangladesh have always stood in favor of democracy and never accepted autocratic rule, said Speaker of the National Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with a high-level delegation led by Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General Ms. Anda Philip at the Speaker’s office in the National Parliament Building on Monday. The meeting focused on Bangladesh’s political history, democratic transition and its role in various international forums.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, “The people of Bangladesh have always been democracy-loving, and they have repeatedly sacrificed their lives to uphold the noble ideals of democracy. During the Great Liberation War of 1971, the people of this country did not hesitate to make sacrifices to establish their rights and good governance. History bears witness that the ordinary people of this country have never accepted or supported any autocratic rule.”

Referring to the recently held 13th National Parliamentary Election as one of the freest, fairest and most competitive elections in the country’s history, the Speaker said the current parliament is now carrying out its responsibilities by truly reflecting the democratic hopes and aspirations of the people.

During the meeting, IPU Secretary General Ms. Anda Philip praised Bangladesh’s current democratic continuity. She said, “The long-standing expectations of the people of this country have been fulfilled through the restoration of democracy.”

She further said that only through necessary democratic reforms can accountability to future generations be ensured. She expressed hope that public confidence could be restored through the establishment of a strong and effective parliamentary system.

The two sides also held fruitful discussions on Bangladesh’s positive role in various organs of the United Nations and the General Assembly, the successful settlement of Bangladesh’s maritime boundary disputes at international courts, and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam, members of the IPU delegation and senior officials of the Parliament Secretariat were present at the meeting.