No Relief for Hindus Under Tarique Rahman: B’desh High Court Rejects Bail for Monk Chinmoy Krishna

Bangladesh High Court Denies Bail to Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Amid Renewed Concerns Over Minority Safety.

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi |  May 10,  2026:: Bangladesh’s High Court has rejected a bail petition filed by Hindu monk Brahmachari Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu religious figure and former ISKCON leader, as concerns continue to grow over the condition of religious minorities under the newly formed government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The two-judge bench on Sunday declined to grant bail to Das, stating that the trial in the 2024 murder case involving lawyer Saiful Islam Alif is currently underway in a lower court in Chattogram. According to defense counsel Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, the court observed that witness testimonies are being recorded and therefore considered it inappropriate to intervene at this stage.

However, the High Court is scheduled to hear bail petitions on Monday in four additional cases filed against the monk.

Arrest and Charges Against Chinmoy Krishna Das

Das, who serves as spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, has remained in custody since November 25, 2024, after being arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on sedition charges linked to allegations of disrespect toward the national flag.

Following his arrest, a Chattogram court denied him bail and ordered his detention, sparking demonstrations by supporters in Dhaka and several other cities. During one such protest in Chattogram, violence erupted, leading to the death of junior government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif.

In January 2026, the Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal formally framed charges against Das and 38 others in connection with the lawyer’s killing, thereby initiating the trial process. Prosecutors stated that while 39 individuals have been accused, only 23 — including Das — are currently in custody, while the remaining suspects remain absconding.

Das’s legal team has repeatedly argued that the monk has spent an extended period in detention and is suffering from deteriorating health conditions. Earlier, on April 30, 2025, the High Court had granted him bail in the sedition case, but that order was later stayed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

Criticism Over Limited Institutional Support

Some Hindu activists and supporters of Das have expressed disappointment over what they describe as insufficient efforts by ISKCON leadership to secure his release. Critics claim that the organization’s reluctance to actively campaign for him has weakened attempts to build a broader national and international consensus around his case.

ISKCON has not issued any major public initiative regarding the monk’s detention in recent months.

Minority Concerns Persist Under Tarique Rahman Government

The bail rejection comes at a time when Bangladesh is witnessing renewed debate over the safety and treatment of Hindu minorities under the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who assumed office on 17 February 2026 following the political transition that emerged after the July Uprising of 2025.

Rahman’s rise to power marked a historic political shift in Bangladesh, ending nearly 35 years of female leadership under former Prime Ministers Begum Khaleda Zia of the BNP and Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League.

However, despite hopes among some observers for improved communal stability, several minority organizations and rights groups claim that attacks on Hindus and other minorities have continued.

Oikya Parishad Reports 133 Incidents in First Three Months of 2026

According to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, at least 133 incidents of communal violence were recorded between January and March 2026.

A report cited by The Daily Star detailed the following allegations:

• 25 murders
• 4 incidents of rape and violence against women
• 35 attacks and acts of looting targeting temples
• 69 additional incidents, including assaults on indigenous communities, vandalism, robbery, intimidation, and land grabbing

The organization’s month-by-month breakdown includes:

January 2026

• 46 incidents
• 11 murders
• 1 rape
• 9 temple attacks
• 3 cases of land grabbing
• Multiple assaults, robberies, and threats

February 2026

• 50 incidents
• 8 murders
• 1 rape
• 15 temple attacks
• 1 attack linked to blasphemy allegations
• 6 land-grabbing incidents
• 1 abduction case

March 2026

• 37 incidents
• 6 murders
• 2 incidents of rape or sexual harassment
• 11 temple attacks
• Additional allegations involving vandalism, looting, and intimidation

Rights groups have noted that many of the reported incidents allegedly occurred after the formation of the Tarique Rahman administration.

Reports of Violence and Intimidation

A separate report published by Hindu Voice documented 66 incidents between February 12 and February 28, 2026, affecting approximately 454 members of the Hindu minority community. The report described:

• 3 murders
• 16 targeted attacks
• 21 temple attacks
• 6 incidents involving land dispossession
• 5 cases of mob violence

Among the incidents highlighted were:

• April 10, 2026: Alleged vandalism and looting at two Hindu temples in Rangunia
• April 10, 2026: Reports that at least seven Hindu families were targeted in Rangpur amid allegations of coordinated Islamist mob violence
• April 14, 2026: Killing of a Hindu devotee at Singibaari MahaShashan Kali Temple in Nilphamari district
• March 13, 2026: Beheading of 45-year-old Gopal Chandra, allegedly by two assailants identified as Muhammad Samrat and Muhammad Raju
• April 21, 2026: Burned body of Hindu priest and temple caretaker Nayan Sadhu discovered hanging from a tree in Cox’s Bazar after he reportedly went missing
• April 26, 2026: Killings of Bullet Boiragi in Comilla and Ranajit Sarkar in Faridpur by unidentified attackers

Additional allegations emerged from Jessore’s Monirampur upazila, where a Hindu family claimed they were subjected to land-grabbing attempts, physical abuse, and threats intended to force them to leave the country.

In another incident reported on April 24, a Hindu woman in Sandip Municipality, Chattogram, was allegedly gang-raped and robbed by armed assailants.

Debate Over Minority Protection in Bangladesh

The situation has intensified long-standing political debate within Bangladesh over which governments have provided greater protection to minorities. Both the BNP and the Awami League have historically faced criticism from rights organizations regarding communal violence and attacks by extremist elements.

Opposition voices and minority advocacy groups now argue that the continuation of such incidents under the current administration suggests that structural challenges surrounding minority protection remain unresolved.

The Bangladeshi government has not officially accepted many of the allegations circulated by activist groups and independent portals, though law enforcement agencies have stated in several cases that investigations are ongoing.

As the trial of Chinmoy Krishna Das proceeds and reports of communal tension continue to surface, the issue of minority rights is likely to remain a major point of political and international scrutiny for the Rahman administration.
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_Agency Inputs.