Sajjad Karim (ECR). – Mr President, I am obliged to you. I take the floor today in my capacity as Chairman of the Standing Committee, within the International Trade Committee, for South Asian Trade, and with Bangladesh I have had the unique ability to see at first hand the tremendous amount of improvement that has taken place using trade mechanisms for women’s empowerment in Bangladesh and in particular female-headed households.

What we see here today is, however, a tremendous regression from the progress that has been made. At the very moment in time at which a young female needs the support of her society and country, it seems that other obligations may be placed in the way and her best interests not necessarily taken into account.

So I say simply this to the Government of Bangladesh: as a Union we have worked with you, we have stood with you, we have been very proud to see the tremendous improvements that you have made, but please, listen to what this House is conveying to you today. These sorts of developments do not take us forward. They challenge our relationship and we do not want to move away from encouraging you to keep moving forward on women’s empowerment issues.