Bangladesh: Hasina supports Chinmoy, as Dhaka HC declines the demand to ban ISKCON
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The Dhaka High Court on Thursday declined to issue a suo motu order to ban Hindu religious body ISKCON’s activities in Bangladesh, citing assurances from government authorities that necessary measures have been taken, The Daily Star reported.
Meanwhile, ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed condemned the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in the wake of unabated violent attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh that were triggered after the arrest of former ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, the media reported.
She said Chinmoy Krishna Das has been “unjustly arrested and must be released immediately.”
Highlighting the killing of Chinmoy’s lawyer outside a Bangladesh court, Hasina said “Those involved in this murder should be found and punished quickly” as the lawyer, Saiful Islam Alif, was only doing his professional duty.
She called those involved in the lawyer’s killing “terrorists” and urged the people of Bangladesh to “stand united against terrorism and militancy.”
During the hearing on a plea in the HC, Supreme Court lawyer Muhammed Monir Uddin presented newspaper reports about the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and its recent activities, demanded a ban on the organization, and imposition of prohibitory orders in Chattogram, Rangpur, and Dinajpur.
Responding to this, the HC bench, comprising Justices Farah Mahbub and Debasish Roy Chowdhury, directed the Attorney-General to provide details of the actions taken by the government concerning ISKCON’s recent activities. It also asked the government to stay cautious about protecting the law and order situation and the lives and properties of the people of Bangladesh.
They said this when law officials informed the HC that three separate cases had been filed in connection with the lawyer’s murder and ISKCON’s activities, and 33 accused have been arrested in these cases.
Meanwhile, amid demands to ban the ISKCON in Bangladesh, the religious organization distanced itself from the activities of its former monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on sedition charges on Monday.
The Dhaka Tribune quoted ISKCON Bangladesh General Secretary, Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari, as saying that Chinmoy was removed from all positions long ago due to a breach of organizational discipline.
Addressing a press conference, he said, “Several months ago, Leelaraj Gour Das, head of Prabartak Sri Krishna Mandir, Gaurang Das, and Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of Sri Sri Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, were removed from their positions and all organizational activities within ISKCON due to violations of discipline. It was clearly stated that their actions are not representative of ISKCON.”
Charu Chandra Das also criticized ongoing attempts to wrongly associate ISKCON Bangladesh with the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif in Chittagong.
He said, “We want to make it clear that ISKCON Bangladesh has no involvement in this tragic incident or the ongoing protests. This false narrative has even escalated to the point where road accidents are being attributed to ISKCON.”
“Regrettably, certain groups are intentionally spreading misinformation about our organization and are making unjustified demands to ban ISKCON.”
Chandan Kumar Dhar Prokash or Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was a spokesperson for the Sanatan Jagaran Mancha and a former leader of the ISKCON, managing its religious site called Pundarik Dham in Chittagong
He was detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday in an alleged sedition case.
The case, filed by Mohammed Feroze Khan at Chittagong’s Kotwali police station, accused Chinmoy Krishna and 18 others of hoisting a saffron flag above the Bangladesh national flag during a rally organized by the Hindu community under the banner “Sanatan Jagaran Mancha” on October 25 at New Market intersection in Chittagong.
This act was “desecration” and “contempt for the country’s sovereignty”, he said, describing it as “treasonous activities aimed at destabilizing the nation by fostering an anarchic environment.”
Chinmoy Krishna’s arrest led to protests and unrest across Bangladesh. A legal notice was also filed, demanding a ban on the ISKCON and the prosecution of those responsible for the murder of government legal officer Advocate Saiful Islam.
