Taslima Nasreen protests Hindu monk's 'illegal arrest' in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen protested the 'illegal arrest' of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, alleging he was targeted for uniting Hindus. Das, arrested in Nov 2024, was granted bail in two cases but faces trial in a lawyer's murder case.

Bangladeshi author and activist Taslima Nasreen on Sunday said she protested against the "illegal arrest" of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, alleging that his efforts to unite the Hindu community in Bangladesh may have been the reason for his arrest.

Speaking during a press conference, Nasreen said, "I protested against the illegal arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu. We do not know why the government arrested him. I think the way Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu was uniting the Hindu community was the reason."

Monk's Arrest and Recent Bail

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka airport on November 25, 2024. He was accused of insulting the national flag of Bangladesh. His arrest sparked protests, which culminated in violent clashes between his followers and law enforcement outside the Chattogram Court Building on November 27.

Her remarks come at a time when a Bangladesh High Court on Sunday granted bail to the Hindu monk in two cases, a lawyer said. "The Bangladesh High Court has granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das in two of the four cases filed against him. These cases included charges of attempted murder, vandalism, obstruction of government duties, and related offences. A two-judge High Court bench issued the bail order today," Chinmoy's lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee told ANI over the phone. A High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher granted the bail. They also set August 16 as the date for hearing the bail applications in two other cases.

Indictment in Murder Case and Sedition Charges

On November 26, 2024, during clashes surrounding his bail in a sedition case over alleged desecration of the national flag, lawyer Saiful Islam was beaten and hacked to death. Following the incident, his father, Jamal Uddin, filed a murder case naming 31 accused. On 19 January, the Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal indicted Das, the former ISKCON leader, alongside 38 other individuals in connection with a lawyer's death, formally commencing the trial proceedings against him.

Previously, on April 30 last year, the High Court had granted him bail in the sedition case, which involved the "alleged" insulting of the Bangladeshi national flag. However, that order was later suspended by the Supreme Court's apex Appellate Division.

Advocacy for Hindu Community and Diplomatic Concerns

Throughout 2024, Das' Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote spearheaded numerous rallies following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These gatherings were organised to protest "alleged" attacks and systemic discrimination directed at Hindu communities.

According to 2022 statistics, Hindus account for approximately eight per cent of Bangladesh's population of around 170 million.

The detention of Das earlier emerged as a point of contention in diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi, with India previously voicing significant concern over his "alleged" treatment and continued custody.

Das has been a vocal advocate for the Hindu (Sanatani) community in Bangladesh, calling for key reforms such as a minority protection law, a tribunal for fast-tracking cases of minority persecution, and the establishment of a dedicated ministry of minority affairs. Bangladesh Hindu community has been demanding his unconditional release.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)