LONDON, Dec 3: The British government is actively monitoring the situation in Bangladesh, where MPs have expressed concerns over recent attacks on the Hindu minority and the arrests of religious leaders, according to a senior minister.
During an urgent inquiry in the House of Commons initiated by Labour MP Barry Gardiner on Monday, Catherine West, the Foreign Office Minister responsible for the Indo-Pacific, reported that during her visit to Bangladesh last month, the interim government assured her of support for minority communities.
She emphasized that the UK was among the first countries to send ministerial support to Dhaka to engage with Chief Adviser Professor Yunus and to advocate for minority rights.
“We are cognizant of the Indian government’s concerns following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader, on sedition charges. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is closely monitoring these developments,” West stated.
“The UK government will persist in monitoring the situation and will push for discussions with the interim government of Bangladesh regarding the importance of religious freedom, particularly for the Hindu community,” she added.
Tensions between India and Bangladesh have escalated since August 5, when deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought refuge in India. The situation worsened significantly with Das’ arrest last week. The Hindu community in Bangladesh has faced ongoing violence against both individuals and places of worship amidst widespread protests against Hasina’s Awami League-led government over a contentious job quota system.
These attacks have not subsided even after Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, assumed the role of Chief Adviser to the interim government on August 8.
Gardiner, whose constituency of Brent West in London has a significant Hindu population, described the situation as being “clearly on a knife edge” and voiced concerns on behalf of the “large diaspora populations in the UK and their strong connections to the community in Bangladesh.”
The shadow foreign secretary, Conservative MP Priti Patel, expressed her alarm over the escalating violence, describing it as “deeply concerning.”
“We are witnessing uncontrolled violence in many areas. It is horrifying to see the spread of violence in Bangladesh. Our thoughts are with the diaspora community here and with those affected in Bangladesh. These reports are deeply disturbing,” she remarked.
Bob Blackman, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus and a party colleague, reiterated the serious concerns: “Hindus are suffering as their homes are being burned and businesses looted.”
“Several priests have been arrested, with two more apprehended over the weekend, and 63 monks denied entry into the country. There appears to be a clear attempt at ethnic cleansing of Hindus from Bangladesh. We demand not just verbal commitments, but a strong condemnation of the ongoing violence,” he stated.
Blackman, MP for Harrow East in London—another area with a large British Hindu population—emphasized the deliberate persecution of religious minorities.
Other MPs also raised concerns regarding their constituents who have family in Bangladesh. British Sikh Labour MP Gurinder Singh Josan noted that all communities are “appalled” by the situation and inquired about Minister Catherine West’s engagement with the UK’s Hindu and Bangladeshi communities regarding this crisis.
“Let me share how I’ve been learning in this role. I was thrilled to visit the Neasden Temple in the London borough of Brent to celebrate Diwali and had a wonderful experience with the British Asian Trust. This was a precursor to my travels to Bangladesh and India last month, and I continue to be deeply impressed by the warmth of these cultures,” the Minister responded.
