Protect Hindus & Minorities, India Tells Bangladesh After ISKCON Priest’s Arrest and Denial of Bail.

MEA expresses ‘deep concern’ on ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari’s arrest, asks Bangladesh to protect Hindus, other minorities.

Bangladesh Govt Reacts To Global Outrage Over Hindu Priest’s Arrest, Says ‘Committed To Upholding Communal Harmony’. Protests by Hindu community erupt in Bangladesh after arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das…

Radhika Sharan | HENB | New Delhi | Nov 27, 2024:: After Bangladesh denied bail to head priest of ISKCON’s Pundarik Dham Chattogram Shripad Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, Ministry of External Affairs (Government of India) responded by saying that the matter is cause of deep concern and urged the neighbouring country to protect Hindus and other minorities.

“We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh…We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression,” said MEA in its statement.

No bail for ISKCON leader

The statement comes as a prominent Bangladeshi Hindu leader who has been leading rallies demanding security for Hindus in Bangladesh was ordered detained on charges of sedition Tuesday.

The magistrate court of Kazi Shariful Islam denied bail to Krishna Das Prabhu and ordered him detained pending further proceedings. But as police attempted to transport the Hindu leader to jail, his supporters surrounded the van carrying him, forcing it to stop.

Hindus and members of other minority groups say they have faced more attacks than ever since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amid a mass uprising in August and an interim government took over. The government says the threat to Hindus has been exaggerated.

Around 91% of Bangladesh’s population is Muslim, with Hindus making up almost all of the rest.

Why was priest arrested?

Prabhu, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, faces charges of sedition filed in October after he led a huge rally in Chattogram in which he was falsely accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag.

The ISKCON monk was arrested in Dhaka’s main airport on Monday while traveling to Chattogram in southeastern Bangladesh.

Prof. Kushal Baran Chakrabarty, who was accompanying Prabhu at the time of his arrest, said that several detectives took the Hindu leader to a police car at the airport.

“Chinmoy Prabhu gave his phone to me as he was forcefully taken to the police car. The police detectives jostled with us to forcefully take his phone and they took it away. We then followed the police car that headed for the headquarters of the Detective Branch at Minto Road in Dhaka,” he said. “We stayed outside the Detective Branch’s office.”

Prabhu faces charges of sedition filed in October after he led a huge rally in Chattogram in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag. Dhaka-based leading Prothom Alo daily reported that Prabhu would be produced before a court on Tuesday, and that two other people have been arrested in the case.

On Tuesday, the Hindu leader was brought before the magistrate court of Kazi Shariful Islam in southeastern city of Chattogram, the United News of Bangladesh agency reported. The court was packed and dozens of lawyers stood for him to seek bail.

Since August, Prabhu has led several large rallies demanding safety for the Hindus, as the interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate and a covert Islamist Muhammad Yunus said reports of attacks have been exaggerated.

Many in the interim government see the rallies by Hindus as a threat to stability and a ploy to rehabilitate Hasina and her Awami League party.

Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari Prabhu is a prominent Hindu leader and a respected figure. He is a member of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group. He is also associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as the Hare Krishna movement, and acts as a spokesman for the group in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Govt Reacts

Facing severe backlash from Hindus all over the world over the shocking arrest and jailing of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Bangladesh government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus went into a face-saving mode, asserting that it remains committed to “upholding communal harmony” in the country.

Reacting to the statement of Indian counterpart, in the late Tuesday evening, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said that it is a “matter concerning internal affairs” of Bangladesh.

“It is with utter dismay and deep sense of hurt that the Government of Bangladesh notes that the arrest of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been misconstrued by certain quarters since Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been arrested on specific charges. The Government of Bangladesh maintains that such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighboring countries,” read a statement issued by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.

Protests by Hindu community erupt in Bangladesh

Protests erupted in Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. Several people were injured during the demonstrations.

The Dhaka Tribune also reported protests by members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Demonstrations also occurred in Chittagong, where protesters used mobile phone flashlights to express their opposition to Prabhu’s arrest.

Police use tear gas to break up protest in Chattogram, Bangladesh resulting in one death.

Police used tear gas to break up a protest in Chattogram, Bangladesh on Tuesday, resulting in one death and several injuries. The protest centered around Hindu community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who was denied bail on sedation charges.

Violence in Bangladesh resulted in injuries and hospitalizations
Violence in Bangladesh resulted in injuries and hospitalizations, sparking protests from the Hindu community. Eight people, including Shribas Das, Sharko Das, and Sujit Ghosh, were hospitalized, according to Bangladeshi newspaper -Prothom Alo-. Nineteen others received treatment at a general hospital. An arrest related to the incident triggered demonstration.

Hindus ‘under threat’ after Sheikh Hasina’s ousting
Following Sheikh Hasina’s ousting, Bangladeshi Hindus protested in Dhaka, demanding protection from escalating violence and threats. They urged the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to enact minority protection laws and ensure representation in governance.

The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Prof. Muhammad Yunus, has been accused of perpetrating severe repression against minority Hindus, allegedly under the influence of Islamist fundamentalists.
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__Inputs from ET, TOI, Zee News, Pratham Alo and ANI.