In a setback to former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, a court in Bangladesh’s Chattogram on Thursday refused to grant him bail following a hearing held with heightened security, according to media reports. The bail request was turned down by Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam after about 30 minutes of hearing both parties’ arguments, according to Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizur Haque Bhuiyan.
Earlier in the day, 11 Supreme Court lawyers were set to participate in the bail hearing of Chinmoy Krishna Das. While speaking to The Daily Star, lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee said, “We have come to Chattogram under the banner of Ainjibi Oikya Parishad, and we will move for Chinmoy in the court for his bail. I already got the Vakalatnama from Chinmoy. I’m a member of both the Supreme Court and Chattogram Bar associations, so I don’t need authorization from any local lawyer to move the case.”
Last year in December, the Chittagong court had scheduled the bail hearing for January 2 as the prosecution submitted a time petition and there was no lawyer to represent Chinmoy. The unrest in Bangladesh erupted from the sedition charges filed against Das for allegedly raising a saffron flag above Bangladesh’s national flag in Chittagong on October 25. His arrest on November 25 sparked protests, culminating in violent clashes between his followers and law enforcement outside the Chattogram Court Building on November 27, leading to the death of a lawyer.
Following additional arrests, the situation worsened in the neighbouring country. According to ISKCON Kolkata, two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, were detained on November 29 after visiting Chinmoy Krishna Das in custody. The organization’s vice president, Radha Raman, also claimed that rioters vandalized an ISKCON centre in Bangladesh during the unrest.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had also voiced concern over escalating violence and extremist rhetoric in Bangladesh, emphasizing that it has consistently raised the issue of targeted attacks on minorities with Dhaka.
Kolkata ISKCON Reacts
Following the court’s decision against former ISKCON leader Das, Kolkata ISKCON Vice President Radha Raman Das expressed his disappointment, stating that the world had hoped for his release as the new year began. He further called on the Bangladesh government to ensure justice for Chinmoy Krishna Das.
While speaking with ANI, Radha Raman Das said, “It’s very sad news. We know that the entire world was keeping an eye on this. Everyone was expecting Chinmoy Prabhu to get freedom in the new year, but even after 42 days, his bail was rejected in a hearing today.”
He further stated, “After seeing the detailed order, we would get to know the exact reason why his bail plea got rejected. The entire world was looking towards this matter—the British Parliament and American politicians were having discussions on this issue, and everyone was worried because of his arrest.”
Radha Raman Das further asserted that the Bangladesh government should ensure that Chinmoy Krishna Das should get justice. “The Bangladesh government should ensure that he gets justice. We are hearing that he is not well, but still keeping him in confinement is not correct. We all know that Chinmay became a face of minorities in Bangladesh, and the minorities see him as a ray of hope.” On being asked about the next step, he said, “His lawyers, after reading the detailed order, will take steps according to it.”
