Parliamentary committee proposes launching ‘education diplomacy service’ in foreign missions

The parliamentary standing committee related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed launching ‘education diplomacy service’ for students in Bangladesh’s missions abroad. Proposal has also been made to launch a special emergency hotline for women workers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has agreed to these proposals.

The first meeting of the parliamentary standing committee related to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday. These details were informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat after the meeting.

The organizational structure, scope of work, activities and achievements of the last six months and the work plan for the next 180 days of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were presented at the meeting. Besides, a decision was taken to hold detailed discussion at the next meeting on the doables of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in preventing illegal migration in various countries including the United Arab Emirates.

Committee chairman Jaharat Adib Chowdhury said Bangladeshi students go to various countries for studies. Recommendation has been made to launch a separate desk or service in the foreign missions to provide necessary assistance to them.

The issue of the possible India visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also came up for discussion at the meeting. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide any new information on this issue. The position that was informed in the ministry’s statement of August 16 was also presented at the meeting.

It was said in that statement that a favourable environment has to be created for the Prime Minister’s India visit. For this, request has been made to India for the quick return of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals as per the bilateral extradition agreement and for the handover of the accused of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi murder case to Bangladesh.

At the meeting, Bangladesh’s achievements and active participation in various foreign policy-related activities including the Prime Minister’s recent visits to Malaysia and China were mentioned as the manifestation of international confidence in the government.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman took part in the meeting on special invitation under the chairmanship of committee chairman Jaharat Adib Chowdhury. Members of the committee including State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam were present. Newly appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir could not attend the meeting as he was on a pre-scheduled foreign tour.

Meeting of the committee related to the Ministry of Finance

Meanwhile, the meeting of the parliamentary standing committee related to the Ministry of Finance was held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at noon. Although discussion was supposed to be held on the structural reform of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), tax-GDP ratio and financial management, none of the agendas could be completed.

After the meeting, committee member Hasnat Abdullah alleged that some ruling party members said to finish the meeting quickly and discuss on another day. He claimed that some ruling party members are viewing the activities of the committee as ‘ornamental’.

Discussion was also supposed to be held at the meeting on making the accounting and financial reporting system more transparent and modern, introducing digital and automated systems by reducing direct contact to prevent corruption, increasing the capacity of NBR and reducing the gap in the tax-GDP ratio.