UK Peer Baroness Verma Urges Action on Minority Persecution in Bangladesh

• Baroness Verma, senior Conservative peer and former minister, raises alarm over violence against minorities in Bangladesh
• Seeks urgent meeting with Bangladesh High Commissioner in London
• Writes to UK Foreign Secretary calling for stronger UK response
• Flags concerns over elections, secularism and law enforcement failures

GG News Bureau
London, 26th Jan: Baroness Verma of Leicester, a senior Conservative peer in the House of Lords and former UK minister, has written separate letters to the Bangladesh High Commissioner in the UK and the UK Foreign Secretary, expressing grave concern over what she described as escalating persecution of minority communities and opposition supporters in Bangladesh.

In her letter to H.E. Abida Islam, Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Baroness Verma said the situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated rapidly following recent political developments. She cited widely reported incidents of mob violence, lynchings, arson attacks on homes, businesses and places of worship, as well as allegations of rape and forced conversions of non-Muslim women.

She also raised concerns over reports that law enforcement agencies have stood by during attacks, creating what she described as a perception of impunity for perpetrators. The House of Lords peer said these developments have caused deep distress within the UK, particularly among the British Bangladeshi community and minority faith groups who fear for the safety of their families.

Baroness Verma requested an urgent meeting with the High Commissioner to seek clarity on measures being taken to protect minorities and opposition supporters, ensure accountability for violence, safeguard free and fair elections, and uphold Bangladesh’s constitutional principles of secularism, pluralism and the rule of law. She also urged that representatives of minority British Bangladeshi communities be included in discussions.

In a separate letter to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Baroness Verma criticised what she described as a lack of response from the UK Government despite repeated representations in Parliament and to the Prime Minister. She said reports of attacks on Hindu men, forced conversions, and violence against minorities have intensified since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

She questioned why the UK Government has remained “noticeably silent” despite being one of Bangladesh’s largest development partners, and called for strong public condemnation of human rights violations. She also expressed concern over the role of interim leadership and alleged failures to prevent or condemn violence.

With elections scheduled in Bangladesh in February, Baroness Verma warned that the situation is becoming more serious. She raised concerns over reports of extremist involvement in the political process, the possible weakening of constitutional secularism, and allegations of Jamaat-e-Islami’s growing role in public institutions.

In her letter, she called on the UK Government to publicly condemn the persecution of minorities, press Bangladeshi authorities to ensure accountability, consider deploying a British delegation to observe the elections, review the role of extremist groups, and clarify whether UK aid to Bangladesh is continuing and how it is being monitored.

Baroness Verma said members of the British Bangladeshi community, particularly from minority backgrounds, are watching closely for leadership and action from the UK Government. She urged both Bangladeshi and UK authorities to respond with urgency, warning that continued inaction risks undermining human rights, democratic values and public confidence.