The UN and its partner agencies have reiterated their long-standing commitment to support the Bangladeshi government in strengthening democratic governance and sustainable development in the country.
As part of the events commemorating the International Day of Non-Violence, UNDP yesterday convened a stakeholder forum to discuss early research findings commissioned on the impact of political violence, said a press statement.
“We are hoping the research Dr Zillur is leading will help to empirically demonstrate the cost of political violence, in both economic and sociological terms, and provide a compelling case that violence affects all of society and the economy in profound ways beyond a violent incident,” UNDP country director Pauline Tamesis said at the forum.
“It will be important to identify this impact, but also to look beyond at the root causes of violence and consequences in order to arrive at long-lasting solutions,” she added.
Initial key results from the study, conducted by Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman of the Power and Participation Research Centre and commissioned under the UNDP ARENA project, were presented during the event, which was held under Chatham House rules.
A key aim of the ARENA (Areas for Research, Engagement and National Agenda) project is to encourage greater use of evidence-based research to inform policy decisions and engage a wider community in developing solutions driven by public interest.
Various national and international representatives attended the forum, including the prime minister’s advisor HT Imam, underscoring the importance placed on combating the causes of political violence witnessed in Bangladesh and its impact on society and the economy.
