Bangladesh stops 54 ISKCON devotees from entering India despite valid passports and visas amidst tensions
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 2, 2024, 6:16 AM ISTBangladeshi immigration authorities at the Benapole border crossing turned away 54 members of the ISKCON on November 30, despite their possession of valid passports and visas.
Amidst escalating India-Bangladesh tensions, Bangladeshi immigration authorities at the Benapole border crossing turned away 54 members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on November 30, despite their possession of valid passports and visas. Officials cited the lack of specific government authorization as the reason for barring their entry.
Officer-in-charge of Benapole Immigration Police, Imtiaz Ahsanul Quader Bhuiyan, stated, "We consulted the special branch of police and received instructions from higher authorities not to permit them to cross the border." He stated that while the group had all necessary travel documents, they lacked the required government approval for their journey.
On November 30, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Benapole Immigration Checkpost, Imtiaz Ahmed, did not allow 54 members of ISKCON Bangladesh to travel to India through the Benapole border. pic.twitter.com/8XxS4IPdKs
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The devotees, hailing from various districts in Bangladesh, had planned to travel to India to participate in a religious ceremony. They arrived at the border checkpoint late Saturday night and waited hours in the hope of gaining clearance, only to be denied entry.
“We came to participate in a religious ceremony in India, but immigration officials stopped us, citing the absence of government permission,” said Saurabh Tapandar Cheli, one of the ISKCON members.
The incident occurs amidst growing scrutiny of ISKCON in Bangladesh. On November 27, Hindu leader and ISKCON spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on charges of sedition. Authorities accused him and others of raising a saffron flag above the Bangladeshi national flag during an October 25 rally in Chattogram.
Das’s arrest has sparked protests among his supporters, culminating in violent clashes in Chattogram, which led to the death of a lawyer. In response, Bangladeshi authorities froze the bank accounts of 17 individuals associated with ISKCON, including Das, for a 30-day period.
Adding to the tensions, two ISKCON monks, Adi Purush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das, were arrested on Friday after visiting Das in prison to deliver prasad. Both monks, natives of Chattogram, were detained amid rising concerns over violence against Hindu minorities following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August.
Despite the mounting pressure, the Bangladesh High Court declined to issue a suo motu order to ban ISKCON, a move some see as a temporary relief for the organization. However, Hindu minorities and ISKCON devotees continue to face increasing challenges, raising concerns over their safety and freedom of religious expression in the country.
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