Staff Correspondent 
Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the National Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram.
The meeting was held at the Speaker’s office in the National Parliament Building on Sunday (November 1).
During the meeting, the Speaker said friendly relations between Norway and Bangladesh had developed since the country’s independence following the Liberation War in 1971. He described Norway as one of the world’s democratic countries.
He said Norway had consistently supported the development of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh.
Criticising the previous government, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad said the country’s democratic rights had been undermined during 17 years of authoritarian rule.
He alleged that the previous Awami League government’s controversial elections had restricted parliamentary democracy, while enforced disappearances, killings, terrorism and extrajudicial killings had created an atmosphere of fear in the country.
He also mentioned that former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and senior opposition leaders had repeatedly faced imprisonment during that period.
The Speaker said the July mass uprising of 2024 brought an end to authoritarian rule and reopened the path to democratic progress in Bangladesh. He described the 13th parliamentary election as one of the most acceptable elections in the country’s history, adding that the current government was working to fulfil people’s democratic aspirations.
On the Rohingya issue, the Speaker said Bangladesh had always played a leading role in protecting human rights globally. He stressed that international support, alongside the efforts of the Bangladesh government, was essential for the repatriation of the Rohingya community. Norway and other European countries could play a role in facilitating their return to Myanmar.
The Speaker also invited Norwegian companies to explore and extract oil and gas in coastal areas of Bangladesh, including Bhola.
Norwegian Ambassador Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen praised Bangladesh’s longstanding participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions, saying the country had made commendable contributions to global peace through its peacekeepers.
He said Norway remained ready to support Bangladesh in strengthening parliamentary democracy and protecting human rights.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on forming a parliamentary friendship group between the two countries, exchanging visits by parliamentary delegations and the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of significant contributions to global peacekeeping.
They also discussed the ongoing activities of the Constitutional Amendment Committee and the July Charter.
Representatives of the Norwegian Embassy, the Secretary of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat and other senior officials concerned were present at the meeting.
