Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of recent reports of attacks on Hindus during Saraswati Puja in India and Bangladesh.

The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities and we have made clear the importance of protecting freedom of religious belief to key stakeholders in Bangladesh.

When I met PM Rahman in February, I discussed the importance of inclusion and protecting minorities, including Hindus, in line with the commitments he made in his victory address to safeguard the rights of all Bangladeshis. In February 2025, the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, visited Bangladesh and held meetings with the Interim Government to discuss issues of justice, accountability, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.

Our commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is reflected in our £27 million Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme (2023-2028), which aims to protect civic space, foster inclusive dialogue, and address tensions that can lead to violence.