Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion.

The Interim Government in Bangladesh has the UK Government's support as it works to restore peace and order and ensure accountability following recent protests. We are aware of reports of human rights violations by the Rapid Action Battalion. We have expressed support for a full and independent UN-led investigation into recent events. Sanctions are one tool in our foreign policy toolkit. Our sanctions policy will be guided by the situation on the ground. We do not speculate on who may be designated in the future.