New Delhi: The arrest of an ISKCON monk in Bangladesh that has drawn a strong protest from New Delhi is yet another example of persecution of minorities, particularly Hindus, in India’s eastern neighbour under its new interim government. The External Affairs Ministry on Tuesday expressed “deep concern” over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, head of the Pundarik Dham, an ISKCON temple in Chittagong, and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote from the Dhaka international airport Monday afternoon.
“We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote,” a statement issued by the Ministry reads. “This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples.”
It described as “unfortunate” that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges are being pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings. “We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das,” the Ministry further stated. “We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.”
Meanwhile, Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Local Government under the interim government, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, said that Das has been arrested on charges of sedition and not as a leader of any community.
“The government will take strict action against any act of sedition that threatens the sovereignty and independence of Bangladesh,” Bhuiyan said while addressing an event at Pirgachia upazila in Rangpur Tuesday afternoon. “Let it be clear to all: no one, regardless of their position or influence, will be spared if involved in such activities.”
The case against Das relates to an incident that took place on October 25. On that day, the Hindu community in Rangpur, 300 km north of Dhaka, took out a rally to protest against the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh.
In Chittagong, the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Manch, of which Das was the spokesperson, also took out a rally. A video pertaining to the rally showed a group of people wearing saffron headbands putting up saffron flags on top of a flag that was projected as the Bangladesh national flag at a place called Zero Point in the New Market area of Chittagong.
Following this, on October 30, Firoz Khan, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist, filed a sedition case against Das and 18 others at Kotwali police station. Das has since denied the allegations saying that he wasn’t even present at the spot where the alleged incident took place and was instead in the local BNP office at that point of time.
After being arrested at Dhaka airport, police took Das to Chittagong by road overnight. On Tuesday, Das was produced before Judge Kazi Shariful Islam of the Chittagong Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court. During the proceedings, Das’s defence team submitted a bail application. However, the court rejected it and ordered his immediate transfer to jail.
“During the bail hearing, we argued that the case is baseless and conspiratorial,” the Dhaka Tribune news portal quoted defence counsel Swarup Kanti Nath as saying. “Chinmoy Krishna has not committed any anti-state activities. Despite this, the court denied bail but directed that he be afforded divisional status in jail.”
Nath, added that the court acceded to the defence counsel’s request that Das be allowed to follow his dietary and religious practices while in jail. Though ISCKON temples across the world are not known to get involved in the internal politics of any country, Das, while being the head of the Pundarik Dham, has emerged as a prominent face of protest against persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh in his role as the spokesman of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha (BSJM). The BSJM, earlier this month, merged with the Bangladesh Sammilit Sankhyalagu Jot to form the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote. Das has become the spokesman of the new entity.
According to Dhaka-based journalist Saifur Rahman Tapan, the arrest and subsequent transfer to jail of Das is another example of persecution of minorities in Bangladesh under the new interim government. “The case against Das is farcical,” Tapan told ETV Bharat over phone from Dhaka. “The case at best can only be that of violation of flag code rule and certainly not a case of sedition.”
He said that though religious minorities have faced persecution under various governments since Bangladesh’s independence, “what we are seeing now is horror under the interim government”.
According to Bangladeshi academic and political observer Sharin Shajahan Naomi, though minorities in Bangladesh have been facing persecution, no person has emerged as a Hindu activist. “Das has emerged as a Hindu activist leader,” Naomi said. “He has also called for a long march to Dhaka. Maybe, that is why the government decided to take action against him.”Last month, the erstwhile BSJM organised a
massive rally in Chittagong chaired by Das that called for minority rights and security. The rally also pressed for the implementation of an eight-point demand including a speedy trial tribunal for cases involving the persecution of minorities, the enactment of a minority protection law, and the formation of a minority affairs ministry.
It is worth mentioning here that Das is also close to influential Bangladeshi intellectual Farhad Mazhar, seen as the brain behind the students’ uprising earlier this year that eventually led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, if Bangladeshi media reports are to go by, Mazhar is now unhappy with the functioning of the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Adviser.
“Mazhar has called for an end to the hatred between the two communities,” Tapan said. “He has, like all other secular people in Bangladesh, has also extended support to the eight-point demand for minority rights and security.”
On November 18, Mazhar had visited the Pundarik Dham in Chittagong where he was received by Das. According to local media reports, both of them then held a confidential meeting for two-and-a-half hours in the temple details of which are not available. Now, following the arrest of Das, Mazhar has called for his immediate release by the authorities.
“Immediately release Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote and head of Pundarik Dham,” Mazhar stated in a post on his Facebook page Tuesday morning. “Protect civil and human rights of all people of Bangladesh regardless of religion and ethnicity, including Sanatan religion. Stop suicidal communal politics.”
