Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) human rights, and (2) civil society in Bangladesh.

The UK is concerned by the recent conviction of human rights activists and the shrinking of civil society space in Bangladesh. Bangladesh remains a UK Human Rights Priority Country. The UK regularly raises with the Government of Bangladesh, both in public and private, the importance of respect for human rights and the rule of law. In October, I met Prime Minister Hasina and raised the arrests of human rights defenders in Bangladesh. We press the Government of Bangladesh to end harassment and intimidation of civil society, the media and political opposition, including the Bangladesh National Party.