UK Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel Urges Action Over Killing of Hindus in Bangladesh

The UK Shadow Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, has written to the U.K. Foreign Secretary raising alarm over the killing of at least six Hindus in Bangladesh within 18 days, calling the violence “unacceptable.”

Patel requested details on the UK government’s actions over the past year, including monitoring and diplomatic engagement to protect Hindu communities. She also asked about recent contacts with Bangladeshi authorities, efforts to safeguard minorities, and the use of the UK’s diplomatic influence to bring stability in the region.

Highlighting the interests of the UK diaspora with family in Bangladesh, Patel inquired whether the government will make a statement to the House of Commons regarding steps taken to address the surge in attacks on Hindu communities.

The move follows prior parliamentary discussions, including an Urgent Question in December 2024, and emphasizes continued concern over religious minority protection in Bangladesh.


#Bangladesh #ReligiousFreedom #HumanRights”

Violent Protests Erupt Across Bangladesh After Killing of Youth Leader Sharif Osman Hadi, Media Houses Attacked and Hasina-Era Symbols Burned

Bangladesh has been thrown into renewed instability following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose killing sparked violent nationwide protests. Demonstrators torched historic sites linked to Sheikh Hasina, attacked media organisations, blocked highways, and clashed with security forces, raising fears over press freedom and the country’s fragile post-Hasina political transition.

A young man from Burma carried both of his parents—yes, both—for 160 kilometers because they couldn’t walk on their own. His father is 85, his mother is 65, and when their village had to leave because of conflict, everyone kept telling him, “Go ahead, save yourself.” But he refused to move without them.

For 7 days, he walked barefoot through thick jungle, steep hills, and rushing rivers. No proper food, barely any water, his body shaking from exhaustion… but he still held his parents close and kept going, step by step, until they reached safety in Bangladesh.

When someone later asked why he didn’t just run alone, he said something that hits right in the heart: “They carried me when I couldn’t walk. Now it’s my turn.”

Many children die from burns after plane crashed into school in Bangladesh
The Inter‑Services Public Relations Directorate of the Bangladesh Armed Forces announced that about 171 people suffered injuries, with many, including children, sustaining burns.

Multiple casualties rose to 32 people, including 29 students, a pilot, and two teachers, following the crash of an aircraft, a Bangladesh Air Force F‑7 BGI training jet, into Milestone School and College campus, Uttara, Dhaka.

The incident on Monday, at approximately 11:20 a.m. local time, involved a routine training flight, flown by Lieutenant Toukir Islam, that crashed directly into the school’s main building while morning classes were in session.

The Inter‑Services Public Relations Directorate of the Bangladesh Armed Forces announced that about 171 people suffered injuries, with many, including children, sustaining burns.

“We saw the plane engulfed in flames as it was heading towards us, then it crashed directly into the building,” Hasbya Rahman, a witness and student at Milestone School and College, told BSS, a Bangladeshi media outlet.

The chief adviser of the interim Bangladesh government, Muhammad Yunus, on Monday assured that an investigation would be conducted into the incident.

Mr Yunus said, “I have no words. I don’t even know how to begin. Like me, people across the country are stunned and in shock today. None of us could have imagined such a tragedy. It was beyond anyone’s thoughts. And yet, we were suddenly forced to accept this unthinkable reality.”

“Even the word ‘sorrow’ seems too little to describe what we are feeling. The shock of this tragedy hasn’t worn off yet. Bodies are still arriving at hospitals. Children are still dying in hospitals. Parents are still desperately searching, asking where their sons or daughters are. Some may never recognise them again,” he added.

Following the incident, hundreds of students from Milestone school and nearby colleges, in a Tuesday protest near the site of the crash, demanded accountability, compensation for the families of the victims, and a stop to training flights from the Bangladesh authorities.

19 dead as Bangladesh fighter jet crashes into school.

A Bangladeshi training fighter jet crashed into a school in the capital Dhaka on Monday, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens more in the country’s deadliest aviation accident in decades.

An AFP photographer at the scene saw fire and rescue officials taking away the injured students on stretchers, while military personnel helped clear the wreckage.

A military statement said 19 people were killed, including the pilot, and 20 others were critically wounded.

At least 51 people, mostly students, were undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, its director Mohammad Nasir Uddin told AFP.

The Chinese-made F-7 BJI aircraft crashed moments after students were let out of class at 1:00 pm (0700 GMT) at the Milestone School and College.

A witness said he heard a huge blast that felt like an earthquake.

“We have two playgrounds, one for the senior students and one for the juniors,” said Shafiur Rahman Shafi, 18, who is enrolled at the school.

“We were on the playground for the seniors. There were two fighter planes… Suddenly one of the two planes crashed here (in the junior playground),” he told AFP.

“It created a boom, and it felt like a quake. Then it caught fire, and the army reached the spot later.”

The interim government of Muhammad Yunus announced a day of national mourning on Tuesday.

Grieving parents and relatives of the victims thronged the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

Tofazzal Hossain, 30, broke down in tears on learning that his young cousin had been killed.

“We frantically searched for my cousin in different hospitals,” Hossain told AFP.

“He was an eighth grader at the school. Finally, we found his body.”

Yunus expressed “deep grief and sorrow” over the incident in a post on X.

“The loss suffered by the Air Force, the students, parents, teachers, and staff of Milestone School and College, as well as others affected by this accident, is irreparable,” he said.

“This is a moment of profound pain for the nation.”

The crash was the worst aviation accident in the country in several decades.

The deadliest ever disaster happened in 1984 when a plane flying from Chattogram to Dhaka crashed, killing all 49 on board.

Last month, a commercial aircraft crashed in neighbouring India, killing 260 people.

There Is No Revolution Without Blood' – Ex-Minister Amaechi Claims Nigerians Are Too Docile, Cites Examples Of Bangladesh, Peru, Chile.

According to Peter Obi on X:

“I spoke at the National Political Consultative Northern Group Meeting about the North’s untapped potential and urgent need for inclusive development. Our vast northern land is underutilized, especially in agriculture. For example, Niger and Borno states combined have nearly the same land size as Bangladesh but produce far less rice. Taraba State has great potential for tea and coffee, comparable to Sri Lanka’s exports. Northern Nigeria, despite its size, imports grain from Ukraine, a smaller country. Education is also a challenge, with many out-of-school children eager to learn. With proper investment in education, healthcare, and agriculture, we can transform the North and Nigeria.”