A Parliamentary Delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has left for Bangladesh to attend the 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, being held in Dhaka from tomorrow. <br/><br/>The delegation comprises of N. K. Premachandran, Dr. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Viplove Thakur, Anil Desai, Nagendra Singh, Raj Kumar Singh, Sushmita Dev, Deepak Adhikari, Dola Sen, all Members of Parliament and Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra. <br/><br/>During the five day Assembly, a general debate will be held on the overall theme of 'Redressing inequalities: Delivering on dignity and well-being for all'. Mrs. Mahajan will address the Assembly during the debate and the other delegates will participate in the four Standing Committees of IPU.<br/><br/>On the sidelines of Assembly, women parliamentarians will also have a meeting in which Ms. Sushmita Dev and Ms. Dola Sen will participate.<br/><br/>The Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU will share their views from a youth perspective on the agenda items of the Assembly which will be attended by Ms Sushmita Dev and Mr Deepak Adhikari. The delegation will also attend the meeting of the Regional Asia-Pacific Group.<br/><br/>Secretary General Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra will attend the meeting of the Association of Secretary-Generals of Parliaments.<br/><br/>Pakistan today said it will boycott an international meeting of parliamentarians scheduled in Dhaka from tomorrow, alleging a malicious propaganda by Bangladesh against it.<br/><br/>A 10-member delegation led by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was due to participate in the 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, Assembly in Dhaka from tomorrow. <br/><br/>But the government decided to boycott the meeting. The IPU is the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.<br/><br/>The boycott of the IPU in Dhaka is another sign of strain in Pakistan-Bangladesh ties. Pakistan has previously commented on the sentencing and hanging of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders for warcrimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War. <br/><br/>Bangladesh has said Pakistan's reactions to the judicial verdicts were tantamount to meddling in its internal affairs and also said Islamabad was yet to apologise for atrocities committed by its army.

A Parliamentary Delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has left for Bangladesh to attend the 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, being held in Dhaka from tomorrow. <br/><br/>The delegation comprises of N. K. Premachandran, Dr. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Viplove Thakur, Anil Desai, Nagendra Singh, Raj Kumar Singh, Sushmita Dev, Deepak Adhikari, Dola Sen, all Members of Parliament and Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra. <br/><br/>During the five day Assembly, a general debate will be held on the overall theme of 'Redressing inequalities: Delivering on dignity and well-being for all'. Mrs. Mahajan will address the Assembly during the debate and the other delegates will participate in the four Standing Committees of IPU.<br/><br/>On the sidelines of Assembly, women parliamentarians will also have a meeting in which Ms. Sushmita Dev and Ms. Dola Sen will participate.<br/><br/>The Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU will share their views from a youth perspective on the agenda items of the Assembly which will be attended by Ms Sushmita Dev and Mr Deepak Adhikari. The delegation will also attend the meeting of the Regional Asia-Pacific Group.<br/><br/>Secretary General Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra will attend the meeting of the Association of Secretary-Generals of Parliaments.