Digital transformation key to building citizen-responsive Parliament, say experts

Speakers at an inception workshop on the e-Parliament Feasibility Study have underscored the importance of digital transformation in establishing a more inclusive, transparent, and citizen-centric Parliament in Bangladesh.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat (BPS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Embassy of Switzerland. It was held in Dhaka on Thursday as part of the UNDP's Strengthening Institutions, Policies, and Services (SIPS) project, which supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Dr Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, attended the event as chief guest. "For a Parliament to truly represent the people, it must be transparent, participatory, and accountable," he said. "The e-Parliament initiative offers a historic opportunity to rebuild public trust and restore parliamentary oversight—values that have long been missing from our political culture. But for this to succeed, we must also ensure free, fair, and inclusive elections that bring genuine representatives to the House."

UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller said, "Technology can expand access, reduce time and cost, and enable real-time policy analysis. But the ultimate goal is a more accountable, participatory, and responsive institution. UNDP is proud to continue its work with the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat as a partner, a knowledge broker, and a long-term ally in strengthening democratic governance."

Corinne H Pignani, Chargée d'affaires a.i., Embassy of Switzerland, joined as special guest and observed, "The best way to serve the citizens is to enable citizen-centric management of parliamentary affairs."

Md Mizanur Rahman ndc, Secretary of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat, delivered the welcome remarks. Other speakers included A K M Benjamin Riazi, Additional Secretary, BPS, and Anowarul Haq, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP Bangladesh.

Virtual presentations were delivered by Agata Walczak, Democratic Institutions and Processes Specialist at the UNDP, and Avinash Bikha, Parliamentary Digital Transformation Specialist at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). They highlighted global best practices from countries such as Armenia, Bhutan, and Serbia, showcasing how digital tools have strengthened parliamentary transparency and public engagement.

The workshop brought together over 80 participants, including officials from all wings of the Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat, government representatives, development partners, and UNDP experts. Through collaborative group discussions, the event explored the e-service needs of Members of Parliament and Secretariat staff, assessed existing ICT infrastructure, and laid the groundwork for a comprehensive roadmap towards establishing a full-fledged e-Parliament system.