Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the political situation in Bangladesh since the elections in that country.

Bangladesh's political parties must address political accountability and find a long-term solution to run participatory and non violent parliamentary elections. The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, last discussed this issue with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister on 12 June. Reports of intimidation, violence and interference in local elections must be addressed. We have urged the Election Commission to fully and transparently investigate. The British Government are also deeply concerned at reports of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. We have pressed the Bangladesh government to conduct impartial, credible and transparent investigations.