11th National Parliament

In a parliamentary system of governance, the National Parliament, as the highest legislative body of the country, is the focal point of state activities. The National Parliament is one of the fundamental pillars of democracy, good governance, and the national integrity system. The role of the National Parliament is very important in reflecting public expectations, enacting pro-people laws, ensuring government accountability to the people, and preventing corruption. ‘Sustainable Development Goal 16.6 and 16.7’ respectively mention the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels, and ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making. On the other hand, the ‘National Integrity Strategy 2012’ mentions consolidating the parliamentary democratic system through legislation and government oversight in Parliament that reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people. Besides, as a member of the Bangladesh Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the National Parliament is committed to ensuring effective participation of parliamentarians in national development and incorporating various positive initiatives according to international practices into the country’s governance system.

In the 11th National Parliament election, various political parties participating made commitments in their election manifestos to make Parliament effective. On 30 December 2018, through the 11th National Parliament election, the Grand Alliance led by the Awami League won an overwhelming majority. However, although the election was participatory, it was reported in various research and election observation reports that it was not competitive. The 11th National Parliament session with elected members started on 30 January 2019 and completed a total of 25 sessions up to November 2023.

Worldwide, about 200 Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) observe parliamentary activities and propose various recommendations based on data to make Parliament more effective. In Bangladesh, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has regularly monitored parliamentary activities since the first session of the 8th National Parliament and has continued its policy advocacy activities. As part of this ongoing activity, this report on the 11th National Parliament has been published, reviewing the activities and effectiveness of all its sessions.

Research Objective

The overall objective of this research is to review the activities of the 11th National Parliament and observe the role of its members. The specific objectives are –

• To monitor and review different phases of parliamentary sessions and the activities of parliamentary committees;
• To observe the role of members in representing the people, establishing government accountability, and legislating; and
• To review the roles of the Speaker and members in parliamentary management.

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