After Chinmoy Krishna Das' arrest, now Bangladesh freezes bank accounts of 17 ISKCON members
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Nov 29, 2024, 4:52 PM ISTBangladesh authorities have ordered a 30-day freeze on the bank accounts of 17 individuals linked to the ISKCON, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member arrested this week on sedition charges.
Bangladesh authorities have ordered a 30-day freeze on the bank accounts of 17 individuals linked to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), including Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member arrested this week on sedition charges. This decision follows the Bangladesh High Court’s rejection of a petition to ban ISKCON after a violent clash between supporters of a Hindu leader and security forces resulted in the death of a lawyer.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) issued directives to banks and financial institutions on Thursday, suspending all transactions involving these accounts for a month. The financial watchdog, part of the central Bangladesh Bank, also instructed the institutions to provide detailed information, including updated transaction statements and details of businesses owned by the 17 individuals, within the next three working days.
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On October 30, a sedition case was filed against 19 people, including Das, at the Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram. The charges stemmed from accusations that they had disrespected Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally held by the Hindu community in Chattogram's New Market area.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday on charges of sedition. A Chattogram court denied him bail on Tuesday and remanded him to jail, sparking protests from his supporters.
New Delhi has time and again expressed concern over his arrest and the denial of bail, urging Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minority groups.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also called for Das’s release, condemning the lawyer's death during protests over his arrest.
ISKCON Bangladesh denied any connection to the lawyer's killing, dismissing the allegations as baseless and part of a malicious campaign.
A spokesman for the attorney general's office said that a two-member High Court bench, which had rejected a petition to ban ISKCON’s activities in Bangladesh, noted that the situation did not warrant intervention at this time, as the state was already addressing the matter. The bench expressed hope that the government would take care to maintain law and order and protect the lives and property of the people.
Hindus, who made up around 22 percent of Bangladesh’s population during the 1971 Liberation War, now constitute approximately 8 percent. Over the years, members of the Hindu community have consistently reported incidents of violence and discrimination against them in various parts of the country.
Additionally, there have been increasing concerns about the rise of extremist groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami and other ideologically similar factions.
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