Robert John Blackman CBE MP, a senior British parliamentarian and Member of Parliament for Harrow East since 2010, attended and addressed the high-level seminar titled “Bangladesh at the Crossroads” held at the House of Lords.
The seminar took place in a Committee Room, Houses of Parliament, and was hosted by Lord Rami Ranger. The event was jointly organised by Politika News, the Centre for Global Policy and Governance and the Northampton British Bangladeshi Business Chamber.
The meeting was formally welcomed by Councillor Naz Islam of Northampton Town Council and presided over by Lord Rami Ranger. A cross-party debate and interactive Q&A session followed, moderated by Tanvir Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief of Politika News. The keynote address was delivered by Barrister Sonjoy Kumar Roy, Co-Founder of the Centre for Global Policy and Governance.
In his address, Bob Blackman CBE MP reflected on the deep and historic ties between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh, recalling the UK’s support during Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971 under Prime Minister Edward Heath. He noted that Bangladesh’s founding leader made one of his earliest international visits to the UK, underscoring the longstanding friendship between the two nations.
Mr Blackman expressed concern over recent political developments in Bangladesh, stating that while international attention had focused on protests and the loss of student lives during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, subsequent developments following the change in government had raised serious questions regarding democratic stability and the rule of law. He highlighted concerns about political exclusion, legal proceedings conducted in absentia and reported pressure on opposition figures.
He emphasised that the credibility of any election depends on participation, inclusivity and public confidence, noting that opinion polling suggests a significant proportion of the Bangladeshi population continues to support political parties currently unable to participate freely in the electoral process.
“If political parties are prevented from standing in elections, democracy itself is placed under question,” he observed, adding that boycotts, bans, or exclusions ultimately weaken representative governance.
Mr Blackman also raised concerns regarding reports of a proposed referendum that could fundamentally alter Bangladesh’s constitutional direction. He warned that any attempt to influence voters through intimidation or coercion would be incompatible with democratic norms and could have long-term consequences for the country’s stability.
Addressing human rights, he drew attention to documented attacks against religious and minority communities, including Hindus, Christians, and minority Muslim groups. He cited evidence of killings, arson, and the destruction of homes and places of worship, stressing that these incidents were not social media fabrications but documented cases involving real victims.
He urged members of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the UK to engage actively with their local Members of Parliament, calling for stronger scrutiny and a more proactive response from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Mr Blackman concluded by reaffirming his commitment to raising these concerns in Parliament and wished the conference every success before departing due to parliamentary duties.
The seminar featured contributions and participation from Anwar Choudhury, Former British High Commissioner, Shahagir Bakth Faruk MSc, Adviser Emeritus, British Bangladeshi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Osama Khan, Vice-Chancellor of The University of South Wales, Nadira Naznin Rakhi, DPhil Student at the University of Oxford and Lecturer at the University of Dhaka, M A Rouf, Trustee of the Northampton Bangladeshi Association, Dr Zaki Rezwana Anwar, Child Health Specialist, Mitu Choudhury, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Caterers Association (UK), Bashir Ahmed BEM, Former President of the British Bangladeshi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Professor Dr Sanawar Choudhury, CEO of RCI Accountancy, Professor Dr Habib-e-Millat, President of the Global Centre for Democratic Governance, Aminul Haque, Former Diplomat and Intelligence Officer of Bangladesh, Md Razib Parvez, Founder of the Governance Policy Explore Centre, Haradhan Bhowmik, Former President of the Sarbojanin Baba Lokenath Association (UK), Moinul Islam Monju, Barrister and Human Rights Lawyer; Michael Murphy, Barrister and Human Rights Lawyer, Ameena Tabassum, Author and Data Professional, Harmuz Ali, President of the Bangladesh Welfare Association; Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Journalist, Shofa Miah, Director of Newham Voices, Md Zakir Hussain, Director of Community Careline Medway Ltd, Adity Roy, Choreographer and Syed Ali Ziru, Barrister and Human Rights Lawyer.
