ANNEX: COMMITTEE'S VISIT PROGRAMME IN BANGLADESH

The Committee visited Bangladesh from 1 to 5 November 2009 .

Members participating: Malcolm Bruce (Chairman), John Battle, Hugh Bayley, Mr Nigel Evans, Mr Mark Hendrick, Mr Mark Lancaster, Mr Virendra Sharma, Mr Marsha Singh, Andrew Stunell

Accompanied by: Carol Oxborough (Clerk); Anna Dickson (Committee Specialist)

The Committee divided into two groups for parts of the visit.

Dhaka

Sunday 1 November

Field visit to Skills and Opportunities for Employment vocational training school in Mirpur

Group 1

Roundtable discussion on justice with:

• Justice Md Abdur Rashid, Chairman, Law Commission Bangladesh
• Rokon Uddin Mahmood, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
• Sadrul Hasan Majumder, Programme Manager, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association
• Won Young Hong, Assistant Country Director, UNDP
• N B K Tripura, Additional Inspector General of Police

Group 2

Roundtable discussion on strengthening public administration with:

• Junghun Cho, World Bank
• Charles Underhand, World Bank
• Nanditta Dutta, UNDP
• Dr Muhamed Sadique, Ministry of Establishment
• Ranjit Chakraborty, Ministry of Finance

Visit to urban HIV/AIDS project in Ketu

Field visit to Katalyst, private sector programme

Sirajganj

Monday 2 November

Group 1

Field visit to BRAC pre-school and Government primary school

Field visit to Sirajganj District Hospital and Urban Primary Health Care Programme

Field visit to BRAC Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction Programme

Group 2

Field visit to Chars Livelihoods Programme

Field visit to UNICEF Water and Sanitation Project

Dhaka

Tuesday 3 November

Meeting with Awami League representatives

• Mr Shariar Alam
• Brigadier General Abu Baker
  • Mr Junaed Ahmed Polok

Meeting with the Prime Minister, HE Sheikh Hasina

Lunch with Foreign Secretary (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Mr Mohamed Mijarul Quayes and Chairman and members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs

Meeting with donor partners:

• Mr Paul Heytens, Asian Development Bank
• Renata Lok Dessallien, UN Resident Coordinator
• Robert Beadle, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
• Denise Rollins, USAID
• Milko Van Gool, European Commission
• Tahseen Sayed, World Bank

Wednesday 4 November

Meeting with the Finance Minister, Mr Abul Maal Abul Muhith

Meeting with Bangladesh National Party (BNP) representatives:

• Mujibur Rahman Salwar
• Mr Z A Faruk
• Barrister Zamir Uddin
• Salahuddin Quader Chowdory

Meeting with the Foreign Minister, Dr Dipu Moni

Roundtable discussion with think tanks and NGOs:

• Mr Ahmed Moshtagod, Islamic Aid
• Ms Khushi Kabir, Nijera Kori
• Mr Jermone Sayre, Asia Foundation
• Mr Fadullah Wilmott, Muslim Aid Bangladesh
• Ms Shaheen Anam, Manusher Jonno Foundation
• Iftekhar Zaman, Transparency International
• Farooq Sobhan, Bangladesh Enterprise Institute

Meeting with the Director of BRAC, Fazle Abed