The Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organized the launching ceremony of a series of roundtable discussions on Promoting Good Governance: Key Reform Challenges Facing Bangladesh. The ceremony took place at the institute’s Conference Room on Sunday August 12, 2007.

Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, inaugurated the programme as the chief guest and delivered the inaugural lecture on Promoting Good Governance: Key Reform Challenges Facing Bangladesh.

Mr. Farooq Sobhan, President, BEI, chaired the event and Mr. Manoj Basnyat, Country Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was present as a Special Guest.

From Left to Right: Ms. Shaila Khan, Senior Programme Officer, UNDP, Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Farooq Sobhan, President, BEI, and Mr. Manoj Basnyat, Country Director, UNDP.

BEI, in collaboration with UNDP, will be organizing a series of roundtable discussions on key reform challenges, which Bangladesh needs to address and overcome by promoting good governance. BEI envisions that the discussions would help develop and formulate a set of recommendations that would assist the Government of Bangladesh to take its reform agenda forward.

While inaugurating the programme, the adviser discussed in details the 10 specific goals of his ministry that would help the present government address its reform challenges, as well as, strengthen the country’s position in the international order. He said the government is in the process of revamping its institutions to ensure the sustainability of the reforms of the current government. He also mentioned that the government has already revamped the PSC to improve its delivery. He also said that Bangladesh is an Asian tiger in the making, who will be heard and listened to.

While speaking about human development, the adviser said that Bangladesh needs to upgrade the capacities of the government officials functioning at all levels. He said that the government has already taken measures to build the capacity of the country’s police and armed forces. The adviser also said that Bangladesh is a moderate and democratic state and “pluralism is this society’s strength.”

Distinguished representatives from the government, private sector, academia, and development partners are expected to attend the launching ceremony.

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