Bangladesh unrest: Protests erupt over Chinmoy Krishna Das's arrest, radical Islamists attack Hindus (WATCH)

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Nov 26, 2024, 9:10 AM IST

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu monk and member of ISKCON, was arrested in Dhaka on Monday (Nov 25), sparking protests across the city. His arrest comes amid escalating violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, with increasing attacks on temples and businesses. Das had recently voiced concerns over the safety of minorities following the regime change earlier in the year.

Dhaka: Bangladesh police apprehended Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent leader of the Hindu organization Sammilita Sanatani Jote, near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday (Nov 25). The arrest triggered widespread protests in the city, with the Hindu community expressing strong outrage.

Prabhu had recently voiced concerns about the safety of Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh following a political shift earlier this year. His advocacy for minority rights is believed to have been a factor leading to his arrest.

Hindus gathered to peacefully protest the unjust, unfair, and politically motivated arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was attacked with weapons by radical Islamists in Dhaka. Many Hindus were injured. https://t.co/p93DjX6UAj

— Roasting Man (@Roasting_man123)

Bangladesh police have started attacking on peaceful hindu protestors in Dhaka. pic.twitter.com/A3XQOUOIhK

— Tarun 🚩🇮🇳 (@fptarun)

Massive protests have broken out in Chittagong following the arrest of priest Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu at the airport today. According to local media, he has been arrested over charges of disrespecting the national flag pic.twitter.com/9HUUtb4Wio

— Indrajit Kundu | ইন্দ্রজিৎ (@iindrojit)

Tap to resize

Latest Videos

Tap to resize

Protests erupted in several areas, including Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection, where members of the Hindu community blocked traffic late into the evening. Similar demonstrations took place at the Cheragi Pahar intersection in Chittagong around 6:00 PM local time. Protesters organized marches, demanding the immediate release of Chinmoy Krishna Das.

As reported by the Dhaka Tribune, members of ISKCON joined the protests against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das. During the demonstrations, several individuals were injured in attacks carried out by unidentified assailants.

🚨 JUST IN FROM BANGLADESH 🚨

Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna : State of Hindus is horrific.

At around 7 pm tonight, Hindus were protesting against the arrest of Chinmoy Prabhu, the devout Hindu leader of ISKCON.

Muz|Im$ attacked the peaceful protests. Many Hindus have suffered… pic.twitter.com/cfcBcwUWiu

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat)

BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu and called for the intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to " take a serious note of the matter and take urgent steps".

"Chinmoy Prabhu, also known as Sri Chinmay Krishna Das Prabhu, a Sanatani Hindu leader of Bangladesh, a monk of the ISKCON temple, and the voice of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, has been arrested by Dhaka police for holding a peaceful protest on Monday. As per some media reports, Monk Chinmoy Prabhu was picked up from Dhaka Airport by Dhaka Police on Monday afternoon and he has been taken to the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police," Majumdar said.

"I condemn the unjust arrest of the honourable Chinmoy Prabhu, who has been tirelessly working for the rights of the Sanatani Hindu community in Bangladesh. I urge Dr S JaishankarJi to kindly take a serious note of the matter and take urgent steps," he added.

Chinmoy Krishna Das's arrest occurs amidst growing tensions in Bangladesh due to increasing violence against Hindus, including assaults on temples, homes, and businesses. Das, who serves as the President of Pundarik Dham in Bangladesh, was one of 18 individuals charged with sedition after a saffron flag was raised in the country.

For more reliable and latest news