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 potential effect of electronic voting on voter fraud in the upcoming election in Bangladesh.

The UK Government has consistently made a clear desire to see a free, fair and pluralistic general election in Bangladesh. I have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end. Dialogue should address concerns regarding the use of electronic voting machines and the potential for voter fraud. I made clear my concerns regarding the election to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the opposition Bangladesh National Party, during my visit to Bangladesh 29 June - 1 July. The Foreign Secretary underlined the importance of free, fair and non-violent elections in Bangladesh with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.