Bangladesh (Hansard, 7 March 2005)

§ Lord Avebury
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assistance has been sought by the government of Bangladesh from the Metropolitan Police in the investigation of:

(a) the attempt on the life of the United Kingdom High Commissioner on 21 May 2004;

(b) the attempt on the life of the leader of the opposition, Sheikha Hasina, on 21 August 2004;

(c) the assassination of former Foreign Minister Shah AMS Kabria on 27 January;

(d) the terrorist bombings of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee and the Grameem Bank on 16 February 2005; and

(e) other terrorist activities over the past three years. [HL1391]

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
After the attack in Sylhet on 21 May 2004, which killed three and injured many including the British High Commissioner, the Bangladeshi authorities agreed to our proposal that a Metropolitan Police team deploy to Bangladesh immediately to assess the circumstances of the attack and to provide assistance and advice to the Bangladeshi authorities. The Metropolitan Police team visited Bangladesh again in July 2004 and provided further ad hoc assistance from London.
The Bangladeshi authorities have recently requested the deployment of a further Metropolitan Police team to assist with the investigation. The Metropolitan Police do not consider that this would be productive but remain ready to offer specific advice or assistance to the Bangladeshi investigators. The Bangladeshi authorities have not made requests for assistance in any of the investigations listed at (b) to (e).
56WA

§ Lord Avebury
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will propose that at the 2005 meeting of the Bangladesh Development Forum a discussion should be held of the impact of terrorism on development in Bangladesh. [HL1392]

§ Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean
In response to a request from the Bangladeshi Government the World Bank has agreed that the Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) take place on a two yearly basis. The next BDF will therefore be in 2006. We are concerned about the increasing level of political and extremist violence in Bangladesh and the dangers this holds for Bangladesh. We raise these concerns and the need for effective action to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice on a regular basis with the Bangladeshi authorities and will continue to do so.