United News of Bangladesh

Essex Police said it is assessing information related to private flights into and out of Stansted Airport following the publication of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the US Department of Justice. Police sources said the assessment does not automatically mean a full criminal investigation will be launched. A BBC investigation last year revealed that at least 87 flights linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein arrived at or departed from UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018, with dozens of additional flights to the UK identified later. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote recently that police urgently need to re-examine whether Epstein’s victims were trafficked within the UK or taken abroad, saying the scale of abuse would become clearer through a full investigation of flight records. In a statement, Essex Police said it is reviewing information linked specifically to private aircraft movements at Stansted Airport after the release of the Epstein files. In December, the BBC reported that flight records appeared to include three British women who were allegedly trafficked, alongside other documents connected to Epstein. Lawyers representing hundreds of Epstein’s victims in the US said it was shocking that no full-scale investigation into his UK activities had ever taken place. Brown said Stansted, located about 40 miles from central London, was among the airports where women were transferred between Epstein’s aircraft. He has written to senior officers in the Metropolitan Police, Essex Police and Thames Valley Police urging renewed scrutiny. Stansted Airport said all private jets operate through independent fixed-base operators and that passengers on such flights do not enter the main terminal. Immigration and customs checks are carried out directly by UK Border Force, the airport authority added. The National Police Chiefs' Council said a new national group has been formed to support police forces assessing allegations arising from the Epstein files. Separately, Thames Valley Police is reviewing claims that a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Prince Andrew, who has denied any wrongdoing. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into Peter Mandelson over allegations he passed sensitive information to Epstein. Mandelson has denied any criminal conduct and previously apologised for maintaining links with Epstein.   With a inputs from BBC

Thousands of United Kingdom dual nationals are scrambling to secure British passports or official entitlement documents as new border rules come into force from February 25, raising fears that some could be barred from re-entering the country. Under the revised rules, British citizens who also hold another nationality will no longer be allowed to enter the UK using a non-British passport, even if their second nationality does not require a visa. Instead, they must travel with a valid UK passport or a digital certificate of entitlement linked to their foreign passport. The changes are part of broader immigration reforms linked to the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which the government says is aimed at modernising and streamlining border controls. Many dual nationals say they were unaware of the changes and are now facing tight deadlines, long processing times and high costs. A British passport costs about £100, while a certificate of entitlement costs £589 and can take weeks to obtain. The new rules do not apply to Irish passport holders, but they will affect other European citizens with British nationality. Dual nationals are also not eligible to apply for an ETA and must meet the new documentation requirements instead, with airlines responsible for checking compliance before departure. According to the 2021 census, more than 1.2 million UK residents hold dual nationality. Critics say poor communication and the short notice period have left many people at risk of being stranded abroad, particularly those already travelling or living temporarily outside the UK. Campaign group the3million, which represents EU citizens in Britain, accused the Home Office of failing to adequately warn affected individuals. The group has urged the government to pause the changes or introduce a low-cost temporary travel authorisation for dual nationals. The Home Office said information about the new requirements has been publicly available since October 2024 and argued that the policy brings the UK in line with countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia. Officials said all British citizens, regardless of other nationalities, are expected to travel using valid UK documentation once the new rules are enforced.   With inputs from BBC

The United Kingdom has said it wants action to be taken following findings that Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny died after being poisoned, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Sunday. Speaking on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Cooper said European laboratory tests indicated Navalny was killed using a rare toxin derived from dart frogs, adding that the evidence pointed to a breach of international chemical weapons rules. Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in a Siberian prison in 2024 while serving a sentence that Western governments and his supporters had described as politically motivated. Russian authorities have previously said he died of natural causes. Cooper said the UK and its allies had been pursuing the circumstances surrounding Navalny’s death since it occurred and were now seeking accountability through international mechanisms. She said a group of European ministers had reported the findings to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for further action. Asked about possible steps, Cooper said Britain would continue to consider coordinated measures with its allies, including sanctions against Russia, as part of its broader response to Moscow’s actions, including the war in Ukraine. Russia’s embassy in London has denied any involvement in Navalny’s death and rejected the poisoning allegations, describing them as unfounded. The issue has renewed calls within the UK for tougher measures against Russia, with opposition figures also urging stronger enforcement of existing sanctions.   With inputs from BBC

China has confirmed that nationals of the United Kingdom and Canada will be able to enter mainland China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days from February 17. China’s foreign ministry said the visa-free entry will apply to travel for tourism, business and visits to family or friends, and the policy will initially remain in force until December 31 this year. The announcement follows British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official visit to China last month, during which he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to ease travel arrangements between the two countries. In a statement issued on Sunday, China’s foreign ministry said the move would further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. The decision brings the UK and Canada into line with around 50 other countries whose citizens are already eligible for visa-free entry to China, including France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan. According to official figures from the UK, about 620,000 British nationals travelled to China in 2024, meaning hundreds of thousands of travellers could potentially benefit from the new arrangement. During his January visit, Starmer said UK businesses were seeking greater opportunities to expand their presence in China. The two sides also agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as services, healthcare, green technology and finance, though no comprehensive free trade agreement was announced. The visit marked the first trip to China by a British prime minister since Theresa May in 2018.   With inputs from BBC

The United Kingdom (UK) has said it will work closely with Bangladesh on their shared priorities of economic growth, migration, climate and security, building on the strong connections between their people. “We look forward to the new government advancing democratic, economic and social reforms,” said a spokesperson at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The spokesperson said they welcome the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, which took place on February 12, and noted that the peaceful electoral process delivered conclusive results. “This represents an important step forward in Bangladesh’s ambitions and the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh,” said the British government official. Earlier, the United Kingdom congratulated BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and his party on election victory. The UK also greeted the people of Bangladesh as the country enters a new chapter. "We look forward to working together on our shared priorities: economic growth, migration, climate, and security," said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Friday in a message through its verified X handle.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that Britain will deploy a fleet of warships and fighter jets to the Arctic in 2026 to strengthen security in the region. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Starmer said the operation will involve close cooperation with the United States, Canada and other NATO allies amid rising tensions and growing military activity in the Arctic. Starmer said the move reflects the UK’s renewed role in European and transatlantic security. He also stressed the need for deeper ties with the European Union in areas such as defence, technology and the economy to face shared security challenges. The announcement comes as Western leaders discuss Russia’s actions, Arctic security and the future of the transatlantic alliance at the Munich conference. Several leaders highlighted the importance of unity among European countries and allies to counter growing threats. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Arctic security requires collective action and stressed that Greenland’s sovereignty must be respected. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said European unity remains the strongest defence against Russian aggression. The planned Arctic deployment is expected to mark one of the UK’s most significant military commitments to the region in recent years.   With inputs from BBC

Britain and several European allies have said Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a rare poison made from a dart frog toxin, blaming the Russian state for his death. In a joint statement issued two years after Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony, the UK, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands said tests found traces of epibatidine in samples taken from his body. The toxin has no natural link to Russia and there is no innocent explanation for its presence, the UK Foreign Office said. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said only the Russian government had the means, motive and opportunity to use such a lethal substance against Navalny during his imprisonment. She made the remarks while speaking at the Munich Security Conference. The allies said epibatidine is found naturally only in certain wild dart frogs in South America. It is not produced by frogs in captivity and does not occur naturally in Russia. They said the Russian state should be held responsible for Navalny’s death. The UK has informed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons about what it described as a possible breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention by Russia. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Navalny’s courage and said his fight to expose the truth left a lasting legacy. France’s Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot also paid tribute, saying Navalny was killed for his struggle for a free and democratic Russia. Navalny, a leading anti corruption campaigner and fierce critic of the Kremlin, died in custody on Feb 16, 2024, at the age of 47. He had been jailed for several years on charges widely seen by critics as politically motivated. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, has long said her husband was poisoned in prison. Reacting to the latest findings, she said she was convinced from the first day that he had been poisoned and thanked European states for uncovering the truth after detailed work. The Kremlin has not commented on the allegations. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously avoided mentioning Navalny by name and gave only a brief remark after his death. Experts say epibatidine is an extremely rare neurotoxin and far stronger than morphine. It can affect the nervous system and lead to paralysis, breathing failure and death.   With inputs from BBC

The United Kingdom (UK) has congratulated BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and his party -  the Bangladesh Nationalist Party - on  their victory in Bangladesh's 13th Jatiya Sangshad  election. The UK also greeted the people of Bangladesh as the country enters a new chapter. "We look forward to working together on our shared priorities: economic growth, migration, climate and security," said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Friday in a message through its verified X handle. Bhutan PM congratulates Tarique Rahman on BNP’s landslide victory

US officials and the family of Virginia Giuffre have intensified calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to testify in the United States regarding his ties to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna told the BBC that the British Royal Family had “not been transparent,” while Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez urged King Charles III to direct his brother to appear before the US Oversight Committee. King Charles, through Buckingham Palace, said the Royal Family is “ready to support” police investigations and expressed “profound concern” over allegations against Andrew. Andrew, who reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability, has denied any wrongdoing. Thames Valley Police said they are reviewing claims that the former prince shared confidential trade information with Epstein in 2010 and 2011. The latest release of Epstein-related US Department of Justice files indicates multiple attempts by authorities to obtain Andrew’s cooperation have been unsuccessful. While he cannot be compelled by subpoena to travel to the US, international pressure is mounting, including calls from Giuffre’s brother and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Prince Andrew recently moved out of his Windsor home and is currently residing at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate. US lawmakers and advocates continue to demand full disclosure from him and the Royal Family, with calls for justice for Epstein’s victims.   With inputs from BBC

Downing Street has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Nato troops stayed away from the front lines during the war in Afghanistan, calling the remarks wrong and dismissive of allied sacrifices. The Prime Minister’s office said Trump was “wrong to diminish” the role of Nato forces, including British troops, who fought alongside the United States following the 9/11 attacks. Britain joined the US-led operation in 2001 after Nato invoked its collective defence clause for the first and only time. Trump’s comments, made in an interview with Fox News, triggered strong criticism across the UK political spectrum and among veterans. Armed Forces Minister Al Carns described the remarks as “utterly ridiculous” and “a real shame,” while Defence Secretary John Healey said British soldiers who died in Afghanistan should be remembered as heroes. Opposition leaders also condemned the statement. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it “flat-out nonsense,” and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the prime minister should demand an apology from Trump. Veterans and families of those injured or killed expressed anger and hurt. Former soldiers said the suggestion that Nato forces avoided combat was disrespectful, noting that British and allied troops fought in some of the most dangerous regions, including Helmand province. According to official figures, 457 British service personnel were killed during nearly two decades of conflict in Afghanistan, with many more suffering life-changing injuries. Downing Street said their service and sacrifice, alongside US and other Nato allies, would never be forgotten.   With inputs from BBC