TL;DR:
- ISKCON leader and Sanatan Jagoran Mancha spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested by DB Police at Dhaka Airport while attempting to travel to Chattogram.
- A sedition case filed against 19 people including Das for allegedly placing religious flags above the national flag during an October 25 rally in Chattogram.
- The arrest follows controversial speeches at religious gatherings and allegations of creating communal disharmony through provocative statements.
- ISKCON Bangladesh has expelled Das from the organization, while the arrest has sparked debates about religious minority rights in the country.
Bangladesh Police’s Detective Branch (DB) arrested prominent Hindu religious leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday afternoon.
The arrest of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) leader and spokesperson of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoran Mancha occurred as he was attempting to board a flight to Chattogram. Additional Police Commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallick of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch confirmed the arrest.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, also known as “Chinmoy Prabhu” among his followers, serves as the Principal of Pundarik Dham and has been a vocal advocate for Hindu rights in Bangladesh. His arrest comes amid ongoing tensions following a controversial rally held in Chattogram on October 25, where he led demonstrations demanding protection for the Hindu minority community.
The arrest is linked to a sedition case filed on October 30 at CMP’s Kotwali police station. The case, filed by Md. Feroz Khan, names 19 individuals and includes charges of insulting the national flag. The allegations stem from an incident where religious flags were allegedly placed above the national flag during the October rally, an act prosecutors claim undermines state integrity.
“The accused are engaged in the treasonous act of making the country ineffective by creating an anarchic situation,” states the case filed under multiple sections of the Penal Code, including 120(b), 124(a), and 153(a).
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has strongly condemned the arrest. In a statement, council leaders including Ushatan Talukdar expressed concern that the arrest could damage Bangladesh’s international image regarding freedom of expression and human rights.
ISKCON Bangladesh has recently distanced itself from Das, announcing his expulsion from the organization. The arrest has sparked widespread discussion about religious freedom and minority rights in Bangladesh, where Hindus constitute approximately 8% of the population.
Two other individuals, Rajesh Chowdhury and Hridoy Das, were previously arrested in connection with the same case. The development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions surrounding religious minority rights in Bangladesh.
