Unrest sparked as Bangladesh court rejects bail plea for Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Bangladesh court rejects bail plea of former ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

Samapti Sarkar | HENB | New Delhi | Jan 2, 2025:: A Bangladesh court has denied bail to Iskcon priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who’s been accused of sedition for allegedly disrespecting the country’s national flag. A team of 11 lawyers, led by advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, defended Chinmoy in court, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The allegations against Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group leader Chinmoy stem from an incident on October 25, where he allegedly raised a saffron flag above Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally in Chattogram.  Chinmoy’s arrest on November 25 sparked protests and violent clashes, resulting in the death of a lawyer.

The head of the Hindu legal side, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, presented the bail application for Chinmoy Krishna in the Cahttagram Metropolitan Session court’s Judge Mohammad Saiful Islam. The rest of the lawyers also participated in the hearing. Their argument was that a sedition case was filed against the monk by an individual, not the government. The section under which the police filed the case against Chinmayakrishna is bailable. He did not do the act that was alleged to have insulted the national flag. However, the accused has been in jail for about a month and 7 days. The government’s counsel argued that there are serious charges like sedition against the arrested person. If he is released, he can influence the investigation. After about an hour and a half of hearing, the sessions judge said that he is rejecting the accused’s bail application as he has not received the police investigation report against Chinmayakrishna. Naturally, the lawyers of this traditional religious leader, disappointed with the verdict, said that this time they will apply for bail in the Dhaka High Court. When the lawyers came out after the hearing that day, about 100 lawyers loyal to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami surrounded them and shouted slogans like ‘India’s agent’, ‘derstroyers of sovereignty’, etc. However, no one was physically assaulted.

Despite a strong defense team comprising 11 Supreme Court lawyers, the court cited ongoing investigations as grounds for denial. Public prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan emphasized the severity of the case and its potential life sentence. “During the hearing, the prosecution argued that since this is a sedition case, punishable by life imprisonment, and since the case is still under investigation, there is currently no scope to evaluate the merits of the accused’s actions. Therefore, the honourable court, upon hearing the bail application, has rejected it,” Bhuiyan said.

Iskcon vice president Radharaman Das expressed disappointment over the bail rejection, stating that the organization will investigate the reasons behind the judge’s decision. Chinmoy’s lawyers argued that the charges against him are baseless and that he’s suffering from health issues, including diabetes and respiratory problems. The case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by minority groups in Bangladesh and the need for greater tolerance and understanding. 

What are the charges on Chinmoy Das?

According to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper, the case names the Hindu leader as the prime accused along with 164 identified individuals and 400 to 500 unidentified people. He is already in jail on a charge of sedition.

The complaint was filed by Enamul Haque, a Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh member. Notably, Hefazat-e-Islalm is a fundamentalist group formed in 2010 which is against progressive laws and bats for Islamic law imposition in Bangladesh. His complaint was filed in the court of Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Md Abu Bakar Siddique.

In his complaint, Haque has alleged that he was attacked by followers of Chinmoy Das while returning home after completing land registry work at the court on November 26.

Dhaka sees protest amid his arrest

Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. The next day, a court in Chattogram sent him to jail, rejecting his bail petition as he was accused of a sedition charge for allegedly disrespecting the country’s flag. His arrest sparked protests, with his followers demonstrating in Dhaka and other places while the protest turned violent in Chattogram, where a lawyer was killed.

The advocate’s death sparked a counter-campaign, demanding a ban on ISKCON, which distanced itself from the priest, saying he was expelled from the organization six months ago.

On October 31, a case with Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram, accusing Das and 18 others of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag with a local leader of ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s BNP, who too was expelled by the party for obscure reasons. 

Hindu sides will go to High Court

Being disappointed with the motive of Chattagram Court, the Hindu  lawyers have decided to move the bail petition to High Court. In the last two hearings before Jan 2 hearing  it was  observed that Chinmoy Prabhu’s lawyers were not allowed to  represent him. Even the lawyers of Chinmoy Prabhu were severely attacked and threatened to preventing them to render legal support to the accused.

More than 50 local Hindu lawyers defending Chinmoy Krishna Das couldn’t attend court in Chattagram due to threats from local Muslim groups and fear of arrest. These lawyers are also facing various criminal charges, including intimidation.

This rejection of bail for Chinmoy Prabhu sparked tension and unrest, as his supporters gathered outside the court in protest. The scene reportedly involved crowds and heated emotions as people expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. The situation highlighted the growing concern and division surrounding his case. The rejection of his plea in court intensified public sentiment, leading to disturbances in the area.

Minority rights for Hindus and their safety and security  have always been grossly violated in Bangladesh. The case of Chinmoy Prabhu is a glaring example of it.  
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__Inputs from Agencies.