Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is a Human Rights Priority Country for the UK. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, raised human rights with Prime Minister Hasina when they met in October. Our statement following the recent election in Bangladesh reiterated our position on human rights and the rule of law, which are essential elements of the democratic process. We regularly engage with the Government of Bangladesh on the treatment of those in detention and on the integrity and independence of the judicial process. We will continue to work with the Government of Bangladesh to address human rights concerns, and will support efforts towards a stable, prosperous, and democratic Bangladesh.