Desk Report:
French Ambassador Jean-Marc Serre-Charle paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the National Assembly of Bangladesh Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram MP at his office on Sunday (May 17, 2026).
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram said that Bangladesh’s relations with France are historic. After the Great Liberation War, France showed its friendship by recognizing Bangladesh. He said that France is the second largest trading partner of Bangladesh among the countries of the European Union.
The Speaker said that democracy was established in Bangladesh long ago. The people of Bangladesh have always struggled against dictators. For sixteen long years, the mafia Sheikh Hasina’s government endangered the democracy of this country. He said that thousands of people of this country have sacrificed themselves repeatedly to protect democracy.
The French Ambassador said that the last parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh were held in a very transparent, free and peaceful manner. This election has continued the democratic progress of Bangladesh.
During the meeting, both of them emphasized the need for a free trade agreement with the EU. They also exchanged views on establishing people-to-people relations with the people of the two countries, strengthening inter-parliamentary relations, political empowerment of women and human rights, as well as Bangladeshi peacekeepers deployed in UN peacekeeping missions.
The Speaker sought the support of the French government in nominating the Foreign Minister of the Bangladesh government for the post of President of the next session of the UN General Assembly.
The Ambassador congratulated him on being elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Members of the delegation of the French Embassy and senior officials of the Bangladesh National Assembly Secretariat were present at the event.
