Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) human rights, (b) rule of law, and (c) implications for the democratic process of the arrest of the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia.

I remain concerned by the absnec eof an effective dialogue between the main parties in the run up to the general election given the recent history of political unrest in Bangladesh. The UK is committed to supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh, and the country remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Ali during his visit to Bangladesh from 9 to 10 February. He stressed the importance of free, fair elections and affording political space to the opposition. I did the same when I met with Foreign Minister Ali on 19 April in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.