GBT News Desk: Labour MP Rupa Huq speaks in the House of Commons questioning the ‘one-sided account’ on Bangladesh by the All-Party Parliamentary Group.
Labour Party MP Rupa Huq has criticised the recent report released by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Commonwealth, calling it a “one-sided account.”
Rupa, who recently visited Bangladesh, expressed her concerns in the parliament and shared a video shared on her verified X (formerly Twitter) page.
“This Autumn, a one-sided account of the Bangladeshi Yunus government surfaced under the name of the APPG for the Commonwealth, pedalling falsehoods. It was widely press-released, leading to confusion about UK government policy,” Rupa told the House of Commons.
Addressing the House of Commons on a point of order, Rupa said that the APPG report holds “zero official relevance.”
She emphasised that the UK’s elected Members of Parliament (MPs) represent public concerns in the House of Commons, distinguishing this from unofficial parliamentary groups like the APPG.
The APPG report delves into the political and social climate in Bangladesh following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. It portrays a nation grappling with political unrest, human rights violations, and rising sectarian tensions under the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The report has also drawn international attention, with warnings issued to David Lammy, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, about the potential for Bangladesh to become a global flashpoint amidst its instability. The report further claims that Islamist extremists have gained ground in the wake of Sheikh Hasina’s government collapse.
Huq’s comments underscore growing debate over the APPG’s findings, highlighting divisions on how the UK should interpret and respond to developments in Bangladesh.
