UK MPs want pressure on Bangladesh to end disappearance

Ten British lawmakers have initiated a move so that the British government put pressure on the Bangladesh government to stop disappearances and extra-judicial killings.

The move, known as Early Day Motion (EDM), was made on Monday.

The signatories of the motion are: Peter Bottomley and Bob Blackman of Conservative Party, Julian Huppert and Bob Russell of Liberal Democrats, John McDonnell and Liz McInnes of Labour Party, Mark Durkan of Social Democratic and Labour Party, George Galloway of Respect, Jim Shannon of Democratic Unionist Party and Independent MP Mike Hancock.

The MPs are pointed out “the lack of a free and open democratic process in Bangladesh” particularly pointing out the recent disappearance of BNP joint-secretary Salahuddin Ahmed.

“There have been many other disappearances, including that of BNP leader Elias Ali in 2012, who has still not been located,” the EDM reads, referring further to a recent statement of Human Rights Watch saying that the Bangladesh government had a history of failing to investigate the enforced disappearance of opposition members.

The motion also pointed out “repeated allegations of extrajudicial killings by the Bangladeshi authorities, especially by the Rapid Action Battalion”.

The MPs called on the UK government to put pressure on Bangladesh government to ensure that “free and fair elections take place promptly in Bangladesh, that disappearances and extra-judicial killings are ended and that freedom of expression is protected in Bangladesh”.