Opinion: Great potential, fast-growing economy and lots to learn

Over Christmas recess when Parliament wasn't sitting, I paid my second visit to Bangladesh as the vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh. I was one of the four strong Parliamentary delegation and actually the only Conservative MP in attendance. The delegation was led by the Labour MP and chair of the APPG, Rushanara Ali.

The visit consisted of a range of activities. Unsurprisingly, we met with a number of prominent Bangladeshi politicians and businesspeople, but we also undertook a number of humanitarian visits.

On the political front, we met with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina. Whilst meeting with her, I paid tribute to the local Bangladeshi community in Ipswich and the invaluable contribution they make. I mentioned to her the charitable work that many of my constituents carry out in the Sylhet district of Bangladesh and also the amount of money that was raised by the local community in response to the devastating floods that took place last year. Despite the significant economic progress made by Bangladesh over the past few years, millions of Bangladeshis continue to live in extreme hardship, and the local community here in Ipswich should be commended for showing such generosity.

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt with Rohingya refugees at the refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. Picture: TOM HUNT (Image: Tom Hunt MP)

It's fair to say that as it stands there is significant tension between the political parties in Bangladesh. If Bangladesh is to achieve its full potential, it’s vital that progress on the democracy front doesn't lag behind progress on the economic front.

I was pleased that during our meeting with the Prime Minister, she pledged that international observers will be allowed to monitor the next general election in Bangladesh, but it's clear that as a country it's still a way off being a fully developed democracy.

The Sylhet region in northeast Bangladesh is where the vast majority of British Bangladeshis come from, and I was pleased to be able to make my second visit. Whilst in Sylhet we met with the Mayor of Sylhet, Ariful Haque Choudhury. This meeting had a particular significance because he was from the main opposition Party in Bangladesh, the BNP. We were a cross-party British Parliamentary delegation, and we wanted to make sure that the political meetings that took place in Bangladesh also had a cross-party theme to get as full a sense as possible about political developments in the country.

The most I got from the visit, though, was the humanitarian work we saw being carried out.

I visited the Rohingya refugee camp last February and wrote about it at the time. It's the largest refugee camp in the world and the last visit had a profound impact on me. Therefore, I was very pleased to be able to have the opportunity to make a second visit to the camp and spend a lot more time there than I did last time.

Though it needs to be recognised that the Government of Bangladesh has overall done a good job supporting over one million Rohingya refugees, giving them a safe haven, the situation at the camp is far from ideal. Being honest, I'm struggling to see there being any realistic prospect of them being able to return to their homes in Myanmar in the near future.

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt speaking to villagers in one of the villages most affected by the floods. Picture: TOM HUNT (Image: Tom Hunt MP)

The UK Government continues to be one of the most generous donors and pushed hard for the UN Security Council to pass a resolution on what has clearly been ethnic cleansing while placing sanctions on the regime.

But at times it does seem that with everything else that has been going on in the world, the plight of the Rohingyas hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, particularly from the media. The one million-plus Rohingya refugees are effectively stateless and have no hope or prospects. At times, they feel helpless with no one to stand up for them, unable to leave the camp and unable to return home. What they need in addition to the basics to stay alive is hope for a better future - something that has sadly been stolen from them. My meetings with the refugees I will never forget.

Last summer, Bangladesh was hit by flash floods that devastated the Sylhet region in Bangladesh. Millions were forced from their homes and had their livelihoods destroyed. In response to these devastating floods, a number of my constituents gave generously as part of a fundraising appeal. I was pleased to be able to visit a number of villages in rural Sylhet that were impacted and speak directly to those affected.

Another highlight for me would be meeting with a number of young girls who have been supported as part of a British project to end child labour.

Due to the number of British Bangladeshis I represent in Ipswich, I’ve made it my business to find out as much as possible about Bangladesh. My two visits there have allowed me to do this. During my last visit, I met with constituent Boshor Ali to see the remarkable work being carried out by his charity the Al Tazid foundation.

Bangladesh is a remarkable country with great potential. Economically it's one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. But with such growth comes major challenges. It continues to be a deeply unequal country, levels of pollution are unsustainably high, floods continue to be a real threat, and it’s far from being a mature democracy. If Bangladesh can address these issues over time, then it really could be one of the most exciting countries in the world.

There is something infectious about the people of Bangladesh. Despite the extremely challenging circumstances many of them have to live in, they have a tremendous zest for life and huge vibrancy. It’s not surprising that once people visit Bangladesh, they keep visiting. I’m extremely pleased that through my visits I’ve gotten an understanding for the homeland of so many of my constituents. Hopefully, it allows me to understand them more and better represent them.