Latest news with #minorityRights
Times of Oman
29-05-2025
- General
- Times of Oman
Bangladesh minority group slams govt over slow action against perpetrators of recent attacks
Dhaka: The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, the largest minority group in the country, has expressed outrage over the lack of arrests in a recent attack on minority families in Dohor Moshiahati, Jashore. Despite a case being filed, no perpetrators have been detained in the five days since the incident, the group said on Wednesday in a statement. "On Thursday, May 22, 2025, at around 5:30 PM, miscreants murdered Tariqul Islam, a leader of the Krishak Dal from the nearby village of Debadhi, at the residence of Piltu Biswas in Dohor Moshiakathi village under Abhaynagar Upazila in Jashore District. According to local sources, just before the murder, Tariqul Islam was engaged in a discussion regarding the lease of a fish enclosure along with several other individuals", the statement said. A group of attackers launched violent assaults on the homes of 20 minority families, looting valuables, vandalizing homes, setting them on fire, and physically assaulting family members. The attack occurred after a murder in the area, and the minority group claims that the authorities have failed to take adequate action. "Immediately following the murder, around 6:30 PM, a group of attackers launched violent assaults on the homes of 20 minority families in the surrounding area. The perpetrators looted valuables, vandalised homes, set them on fire, and physically assaulted the family members. At the time, hundreds of members of the Matua community were present at the home of Mohitosh Biswas for an annual religious festival, with loud music and drums being played. Organisers reported that food had been arranged for approximately 700 people following the religious rituals", the statement said. The attack left 20 families homeless, with many women reportedly subjected to physical assault. The attackers also destroyed vital documents, including house deeds, national identity cards, and academic certificates. "After looting all valuable belongings, the attackers destroyed and set fire to the houses, rendering 20 families homeless. Many women were reportedly subjected to physical assault. At present, most of the male members of these families have fled the area in fear and gone into hiding. Family members have informed that their house deeds, national identity cards, and children's academic certificates were burned to ashes", it said. On May 27, 2025, a delegation from the central committee of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council visited the incident site. The delegation included Central Presidium Member Milon Kanti Dutta, Acting General Secretary Monindra Kumar Nath, Youth Unity Council President Shimul Saha, Joint General Secretary Shyamal Kumar Kundu, Organizing Secretary Sudipto Sharma, Jashore District Unity Council President Santosh Kumar Dutta, Joint General Secretary Sanjoy Rasel Mondal, Organizing Secretary Timir Ghosh Joy, and Abhaynagar Upazila Unity Council President Shankar Kumar Singh, along with other local committee leaders. Following the visit, the Acting General Secretary talked with the Superintendent of Police of Jashore and urged him to swiftly arrest the individuals responsible for the violence, bring them to justice, ensure appropriate punishment, and provide compensation to the affected families. He also called for necessary government steps to recover or reissue the vital documents that were destroyed in the fire. "While one arrest has been made in connection with the murder case of Tariqul Islam, no arrests have yet been made in the case filed by Kalpana Biswas concerning the attacks on minority homes. The Unity Council leaders have expressed strong dissatisfaction and deep concern over this inaction", the statement said.
Reuters
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Hungary cancels talks with Ukraine on minority rights amid espionage row
BUDAPEST, May 12 (Reuters) - Hungary has cancelled a meeting with Ukraine of experts on minority rights that had been due to take place on Monday, citing a row in which the two neighbours expelled diplomats and accused each other of engaging in espionage. In a statement late on Sunday, Hungarian foreign ministry state secretary Levente Magyar said Hungary had called off the planned meeting in Ukraine because recent developments in bilateral relations do not allow for "constructive talks in such an important and sensitive matter as minority rights". Magyar added that Hungary remained open to dialogue. On Friday Ukraine's SBU said it had detained two suspected agents who, it said, were being run by Hungarian military intelligence. It was the first time in Ukraine's history that a Hungarian spy network had been found to be working against Kyiv's interests, it said. Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO, which strongly back Ukraine in its war with invading Russian forces, but Prime Minister Viktor Orban is sceptical about Western military aid to Kyiv and retains cordial relations with Russia. Orban's right-wing government has long accused Kyiv of violating the language rights of some 150,000 ethnic Hungarians who live mostly in western Ukraine's Transcarpathia region but the espionage row marks a new low in bilateral relations. Ukraine's SBU security agency said the two suspected agents were former members of its military and had been detained on suspicion of committing state treason. It said they were recruited by a handler in Hungarian military intelligence. In retaliation, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday Hungary had expelled two people he said were working as spies at Ukraine's embassy in Budapest. He said Kyiv's move had been driven by Hungary's opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hungary cancels talks with Ukraine on minority rights amid espionage row
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary has cancelled a meeting with Ukraine of experts on minority rights that had been due to take place on Monday, citing a row in which the two neighbours expelled diplomats and accused each other of engaging in espionage. In a statement late on Sunday, Hungarian foreign ministry state secretary Levente Magyar said Hungary had called off the planned meeting in Ukraine because recent developments in bilateral relations do not allow for "constructive talks in such an important and sensitive matter as minority rights". Magyar added that Hungary remained open to dialogue. On Friday Ukraine's SBU said it had detained two suspected agents who, it said, were being run by Hungarian military intelligence. It was the first time in Ukraine's history that a Hungarian spy network had been found to be working against Kyiv's interests, it said. Hungary is a member of the European Union and NATO, which strongly back Ukraine in its war with invading Russian forces, but Prime Minister Viktor Orban is sceptical about Western military aid to Kyiv and retains cordial relations with Russia. Orban's right-wing government has long accused Kyiv of violating the language rights of some 150,000 ethnic Hungarians who live mostly in western Ukraine's Transcarpathia region but the espionage row marks a new low in bilateral relations. Ukraine's SBU security agency said the two suspected agents were former members of its military and had been detained on suspicion of committing state treason. It said they were recruited by a handler in Hungarian military intelligence. In retaliation, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Friday Hungary had expelled two people he said were working as spies at Ukraine's embassy in Budapest. He said Kyiv's move had been driven by Hungary's opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine.
Washington Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump is bringing white South Africans to the US as refugees, but what persecution are they facing?
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The Trump administration is bringing a small number of white South Africans to the United States as refugees next week in what it says is the start of a larger relocation effort for a minority group who are being persecuted by their Black-led government because of their race.
Washington Post
08-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
How a Georgetown scholar went from ‘quiet' researcher to detainee
For more than two years, Badar Khan Suri was a little-known postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University trying to land a book project, colleagues and family say. The Indian national, who was on a J-1 visa for academic and exchange visitors, spent much of his time researching minority rights in his home country, visiting the campus mosque with his wife and three young children, and teaching a class on his research, they say.
