Development agenda must tackle injustice, Parliamentary Caucus on Justice Insists

At the parliamentarians’ meeting on Monday, 19 February 2024, held at the Hotel Intercontinental, the Parliamentary Caucus on Justice highlighted the transition towards a Smart Bangladesh, with a strong emphasis on infusing justice and equality into every aspect of this evolution.

Amidst the fresh start post-national elections, the Caucus, inclusive of both seasoned and newly elected members of the 12th parliament, pledged to tackle societal disparities head-on, advocating for a justice-centric overhaul in all domains, stated a press release.

The Caucus underscored the necessity of grounding Bangladesh's journey towards a Smart Bangladesh in the egalitarian ideals championed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

During the meeting, Tanvir Shakil Joy, MP and Chairperson of the Caucus, emphasised the need for Bangladesh to propel its technological advancement while enhancing global competency through educational reform.

Addressing economic and skill gaps Tangail-5 MP, Md Sanwar Hossain advocated for revamped vocational training programs to foster labor and migration justice. The dialogue also covered the pressing issue of climate justice with Patuakhali-3 MP, SM Shahjada pointing out the disproportionate impact of climate change on various communities.

Rajshahi-5 MP, Abdul Wadud Dara raised concerns about the threat of fundamentalism to social and cultural equality, underscoring the need for social justice measures. Meanwhile, Jamalpur-1 MP, Nur Mohammad highlighted the crucial role of education justice in achieving Bangladesh's Vision 2041, advocating for reforms that guarantee equitable access to quality education for all.

The Caucus also addressed the rights of individuals with disabilities, while parliament member Aroma Dutta called for greater representation and accessibility, in line with Bangladesh Awami League’s election manifesto. Additionally, former MP and secretary of the Caucus Mahzabeen Khaled stressed the importance of multilingual education as a means to combat injustices faced by local and migrant workers.

Achieving a Smart Bangladesh – characterised by Smart Citizens, Smart Government, Smart Society, and Smart Economy – mandates crafting policies that guarantee marginalised communities are not only included but thrive.

This includes ensuring widespread access to technology, boosting digital literacy universally, leveraging e-governance to render public services more transparent and accountable, and revising legal norms to safeguard digital freedoms.

Moreover, the Caucus advocates for proactive community involvement and for ensuring that all initiatives resonate with the sustainable development goals, guaranteeing a holistic approach to development that champions justice and equality.

The meeting was also attended by Syeed Ahamed and Shaheen Parveen of the Institute of Informatics and Development (IID).