DEMOCRACY IN BANGLADESH

That this House supports the declaration made by the Foreign Secretary on his visit to Bangladesh on 10th February 2008 that Britain will help Bangladesh and its people who are striving to achieve a democracy that will endure; expresses concern that the caretaker government have arrested thousands of political activists from the main political parties according to Human Rights Watch and Bangladeshi newspaper reports; notes the desire for free and fair elections to be held in December 2008 without intimidation or harassment; and calls on the UK Government to use its good offices to ensure the caretaker government of Bangladesh provides an environment conducive to the establishment of a sustainable democracy that involves all the main political parties.