The Bishop of St Albans asked a question on concerns surrounding the treatment of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh on 2nd February 2021, during a discussion on the recent military coup in Burma (Myanmar):
The Lord Bishop of St Albans [V]: My Lords, many of us have spoken out over recent months for the protection of Rohingya Muslims. There is a deep worry at the moment that the Government of Bangladesh may continue their repatriation of the refugees. Are Her Majesty’s Government talking with Bangladesh? Also, what are the prospects for freedom of religion or belief, not least for the Christian minorities in the country, who are under threat at the moment?
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, FCDO): My Lords, on the issue that the right reverend Prelate raises of freedom of religion or belief in Myanmar, the situation is, frankly and very candidly, dire—there is no other word that I can use for that. On the situation with Bangladesh, as I have already alluded to, we are looking to engage directly with the Bangladeshi authorities, but equally they have stated their support for the democratically elected civilian Government.

You must be logged in to post a comment.