Opposition can make govt accountable

Visiting Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Deepak Obhrai MP yesterday said opposition in a parliamentary democracy has a critical role to play to make the government accountable.
He made the remark to reporters after inaugurating the new chancery of the Canadian High Commission at Baridhara in the city in the afternoon. The chancery building has been constructed at a cost of 2.5 million Canadian dollars over a period of nine years.
Obhrai, a member of Canadian parliament for 11 years, said Canada is delighted with the results of the general elections held on December 29.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud and Canadian High Commissioner Robert McDougall spoke at the function.
Referring to the formation of parliamentary friendship group between Bangladesh and Canada, Obhrai said this would lead to more exchanges of parliamentarians between the two countries and promote the ties of the two parliaments.
Dr Hasan Mahmud said Canada is playing a vital role in the development efforts of Bangladesh, which will help make the country a middle-income nation by 2020.
Obhrai said Canada's trade relationship with Bangladesh has grown in the last few years. The value of bilateral trade has increased almost 60 percent from $ 600 million in 2004 to $ 955 million in 2008.