Dhaka, Sept. 15 -- A French parliamentary delegation paid a courtesy call on Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad at his office on Tuesday.

The delegation included French senators Pierre-Alain Roiron, Olivier Henno and Guillaume Chevrollier.

During the meeting, the Speaker said France has been a tested friend of Bangladesh since the War of Liberation.

He said France is Bangladesh's second-largest trading destination in Europe and expressed hope that the bilateral relations will be further strengthened through the formation of a France-Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus.

Hafiz Uddin said the democratic rights of the people of Bangladesh had been undermined during the 15-year "authoritarian rule" of the Awami League.

Citing that people of Bangladesh...