Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Most Australians are probably aware that our national cricket team is currently battling it out with Bangladesh on the sub-continent. But what they might not be aware is that Bangladesh is dealing with the effects of the worst flooding in 20 years. Just a week ago, a third of Bangladesh was ravaged by monsoon rain that has affected upwards of eight million people across 32 districts. More than 720,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, mainly in the northern and central parts of the country. Millions of people have been left without food, shelter or clean water for days. Amidst the chaos, 135 people have died. It has been described as the worst floods since 1998, which killed more than 1,000 people.

Australia and Bangladesh are two nations which share a special bond. It was the Whitlam government in 1972 that became the first nation to recognise an independent Bangladesh. I am honoured to have a very strong and vibrant Bangladeshi community in the electorate of Kingsford Smith. The Bangladeshis are great people who make a strong contribution to our community and our nation. In wider Australia, there are 53,000 Bangladeshis. To all Australians of Bangladeshi descent and all of those on the subcontinent, I and the Labor Party extend our best wishes during this difficult time.