CONTINUING TO ENHANCE HIGH STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS 63rd COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE Dhaka, Bangladesh 1 to 8 November 2017 Opening Ceremony - 5 November 2017
CPA PRESIDENT SAYS FOCUS IS ON ‘CONTINUING TO ENHANCE HIGH STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE OF PARLIAMENTARIANS’ The CPA President and Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh gave the opening address at the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. Her Excellency, Sheikh Hasina, Honourable Prime Minister of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and Vice-Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the chief guest of today’s inaugural ceremony. Honourable Speakers, Deputy Speakers, Members of Parliament of the CPA; Honourable Members of the Executive Committee of the CPA; Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Akbar Khan; Honourable Ministers, advisors, distinguished delegates, respected guests, media representatives, ladies and gentleman - As-SalaamAlaikum. Shuvo Shokal. A very good morning to you all. I am deeply honoured to welcome you to the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is indeed a distinct honour and a rare privilege for me as the President and Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Speaker of the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad, to extend a very warm welcome to you at the south plaza of our Parliament. The Bangladesh Parliament - the centrepiece of our democracy - takes immense pride
and joy in hosting this event of Commonwealth Parliamentarians. As a member of the CPA since 1973, the Bangladesh Parliament has been an active partner in promoting the enduring values of the Commonwealth. Commonwealth – a family of nations - bonds together the rich experience of diversity, uniting over two billion people across continents, based on the principle of an equal say for all Members. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) provides an exceptional forum for Parliamentarians and changemakers around the world to come together to discuss and deliberate on issues of global concern. Forums, such as the CPA, facilitate conversations that allow us to take forward our shared vision and harness our resources to maximise the wellbeing of the people we serve across nations. The CPA has been a leading force in bringing together cultures and ideas for dialogue and exchange at the parliamentary level. This interactive forum allows us to share practices across regions and discuss best practices. We hold each other up as role models, and humbly critique policies that can be improved. As we use consensus building models
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to come to decisions, we learn a great deal about international politics. At the centre of this is trust. Most importantly, it helps build bridges of trust between nations and regions from all over the world, promoting parliamentary diplomacy. I thank the CPA for giving us the opportunity to organise the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Bangladesh. I express my heartfelt gratitude to our Honourable Prime Minister, Sheik Hasina, for her valuable guidance and support. I thank Honourable Parliamentarians from the CPA who have come to Dhaka to make this event a success. I thank the Secretary-General, Akbar Khan, for his support and the staff of the CPA Secretariat. I thank my colleagues, Honourable Members of the Bangladesh Parliament, officials and staff of the Parliament Secretariat for their cooperation. I also extend my thanks to all concerned ministries and law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh for their cooperation in organising this conference. I congratulate the people of Bangladesh for their support. I express my sincere gratitude to all my colleagues and friends at
the CPA for their support for me during my term as Chairperson. My tenure at CPA was uniquely challenging yet deeply rewarding. CPA gave me an exposure to the dynamics of international politics; I have a greater insight into the importance of cooperation between Parliamentarians, I have gained a profound understanding of how much more we Parliamentarians can achieve by working together. We serve a greater purpose acting in unity. Bangladesh – a river-lying delta of six seasons - is laden in history and culture, folklore and the melodies of music. With the mangrove poets of the Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal in the south and the tea gardens, the beauty of this land is majestic. The Royal Bengal Tigers are a symbol of the Golden Bangla – ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ – radiating hope, determination and resilience. Dhaka, our capital, is a bustling metropolis; a microcosm of a country where people from all over the country come to this city for opportunities with the dream and ambition to achieve a prosperous future. You may have by now noticed the multitude of restaurants catering food of different varieties, food trucks and cafes around the corners