Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) discussions he has had with his counterpart in Bangladesh and (b) diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help protect the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.

I spoke to the Bangladesh High Commissioner on 19 and 23 July to reiterate my concerns about the events unfolding in Bangladesh. In July and August, the UK Government issued statements expressing concern about the situation in Bangladesh, calling for all sides to work together to end the violence and for internet access and communications services to be quickly restored. We were clear that a full and independent UN-led investigation into recent events is important. The Interim Government in Bangladesh has the UK's full support as it works to restore peace and order including investigating alleged human rights violations and ensuring accountability.