IPU conference begins in Dhaka

Staff Correspondent: The 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference has begun on Saturday morning.

The conference kicked off through a meeting titled 'Forum of Women Parliamentarians' held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the five-day event at 7:30 pm at the South Plaza of Parliament while other sessions for thematic debates will be organised at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center.

The Prime Minister will also release a commemorative stamp and inaugurate IPU website television during this time.

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.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad are jointly organising the conference chaired by Speaker of the Parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

Some 687 members of 131 national parliaments of as many countries are expected to join the conference. Some 1,348 delegates will participate in the conference.

Participants, including 45 Speakers, 37 Deputy Speakers and more than 200 women MPs, are expected to make specific proposals on a range of issues, from ending rising inequality to promoting women's access to financing, during the 136th assembly of the IPU.

All preparation has been taken to make the assembly success.

Bangladesh is hosting the conference for the first time since it joined the century-old global forum in 1972.

Founded in 1889, the IPU, a global organisation of parliaments, works to establish democracy, peace and cooperation among people.

risingbd/DHAKA/Apr 1, 2017/Sawon/Amirul