A web and mobile based applicationtitled ‘My Constituency’ has been launched today for the members of parliament (MPs) to measure the progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their respective constituencies.
Bangladesh Parliament and the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), Bangladesh, virtually launched the country’s first data platform for the MPs today, said a press release.
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury inaugurated the app virtually as the chief guest while State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and team leader for Inclusive Political Processes Governance and Peacebuilding under the Bureau of Policy and Programme Support of UNDP Charles Chauvel also spoke in the function.
JS Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah conducted the question and answer session while Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee delivered welcome address in the function. a2i Policy Adviser Anir Chowdhury presented a brief discussion on the data platform in the function.
According to the press release, the data platform will support the MPs to track the development progress of their respective constituency and identify the areas for inclusive development planning to improve the lives of underserved people. The platform also envisions strengthening interaction with the citizens.
The UNDP is currently supporting over 60 parliaments around the world and it has had a long and productive partnership with the Parliament of Bangladesh since 1997 through a series of projects,which included the initiation of an international network of parliamentarians for climate justice, policy advisory support to the Speaker’s office as well as ICT support for MPs’ offices and secretariat staff.
Upon renewal of the UNDP’s MoU with the Parliament in 2019, the organisation set out to strengthen the capacities of MPs and the Parliament Secretariat, support MPs with better access to evidence-based data and organisational development.
The data platform was a priority activity, supported by Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme of the ICT Division and the Cabinet Division, supported by UNDP Bangladesh.
Addressing the virtual function, JS Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said, “Parliamentarians are the voices of the people and their involvement (in realising the SDGs) is necessary for betterment of the people. We must remember that the clock is ticking — there is only a decade left to reach the SDGs”.
Meanwhile, there is a global change due to the pandemic, which makes it difficult to keep the economy on track while also ensuring that we stay on the right path for the SDGs, she said, adding, this app was born out of the question – “how can we best use the parliamentary strengthening and cooperation that UNDP provides? This app is driven by the needs of MPs and their feedback has been incorporated into it”.
Senior Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan, Principal Coordinator of SDG Affairs at the PMO Zuena Aziz, Secretary (Coordination and Reforms) of Cabinet Division Md Kamal Hossain, Director General of BBS Mohammad Tajul Islam, Trustee of CRI Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Policy Specialist of UNDP Mozammel Haque were present at the event, among others.
