Dhaka:Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, has underscored the necessity of democracy for the genuine development of a nation, highlighting its re-establishment in Bangladesh through the 13th parliamentary election.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Speaker remarked that the 13th parliamentary election was among the freest, most acceptable, and fairest in the country's history. His comments came during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the European Union Mission in Bangladesh, European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), and Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Hafiz Uddin noted that election observer teams from the European Union and other countries commended the election's fairness. He criticized the Awami League government for depriving Bangladesh of democracy over the past 17 years through various injustices and stated that the 2024 July mass uprising had realigned the country towards democratic progress.
In their meeting, the delegation discussed ensuring voting rights for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh's electoral process, enhancing their electoral participation, and ensuring their overall political representation. They also shared views on ensuring representation for persons with disabilities within the Constitution Amendment Committee's activities and discussed ways to make parliamentary debates more accessible for individuals with hearing disabilities.
The European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) and the Bangladesh Society of the Deaf and Sign Language Users (B-SCAN) are collaborating to ensure the voting rights and participation of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh's elections.