The arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Das in Bangladesh | Explained

The story so far: The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday (November 25, 2024) arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Vaishnavite leader and one-time member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, prompting protests demandng his release in Dhaka’s Shahbag neighbourhood and Chittagong, where he is based.

Clashes have since intensified. On November 26, assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam, the lawyer of Chinmoy Krishna Das, was killed during clashes between the security personnel and followers of the Hindu leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a Chittagong court, police said. Based on CCTV footage of the violence, authorities have reportedly arrested at least six people belonging to the Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League which was banned by the government in October.

The same day, a war of words broke out between India and Bangladesh after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the arrest and denial of bail for Mr. Das as “unfortunate” and expressed “deep concern” over incidents targeting minority communities in Bangladesh. The MEA’s statement called upon the interim government of Bangladesh to “ensure safety and security of Hindus and all minorities.”

Bangladesh responded to MEA’s statement by alleging that it misrepresented facts and was “contrary” to the friendly ties between the two neighbours.

Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das?

Chinmoy Krishna Das, also known as Chandan Kumar Dhar, is a monk leading the Pundarik Dham in Chittagong/Chattogram, a key centre for Vaishnavites in Bangladesh. He is also the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, a Sanatani organisation. Mr. Das was a member of ISKCON till recently, when he was expelled.

Mr. Das, who has a considerable following in Bangladesh, has regularly advocated for the rights of religious minorities, and has garnered particular attention after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024. Since then, Mr. Das has engaged in dialogue with various political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), urging communal harmony. In a press conference held earlier this month, Mr. Das alleged that the interim government under Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Mohammad Yunus had failed to stop at least 3,000 attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Mr. Das has advocated for the implementation of an eight-point list of demands for Hindus in Bangladesh. These include the stablishment of a special tribunal for swift trials in cases of minority persecution, enactment of a minority protection law, the creation of a Ministry for Minority Affairs, laws to recover and protect temple properties and enforcement of the Vested Property Act, prayer rooms in educational institutions, modernization of Sanskrit and Pali Education Boards and a five-day public holiday for Durga Puja, an important festival for Bengali Hindus.

Pundarik Dham is also an important part of ISKCON in Bangladesh, where the society has a significant presence. While its headquarters are located in Gandaria, Dhaka, it has temples across the country— in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet. Every year, it organises celebrations for festivals important in the Vaishnavite tradition, such as Janmashtami and the Kheturi festival.

ISKCON has historically been the subject to several controversies, including charges of misogyny, sexual abuse and harrasment, racketeering, and in one instance- a murder plot. It has faced criticism for more minor infractions too. Recently, Amogh Lila Das, an ISKCON leader in India came under fire for his comments against Swami Vivekananda and Ramkrishna Paramahamsa.

The Bangladesh arrest is a rare instance, however, where anyone associated with the organisation has been arrested on charges of sedition.

Why was Mr. Das arrested?

According to the Dhaka Police, Mr. Das had been arrested after Firoz Khan, a former BNP leader from Chittagong, filed a complaint against him, alleging that he and a few others had insulted Bangladesh’s national flag during a October 25 rally by the Hindu community in Chittagong. Mr. Khan was later expelled from the BNP, reportedly for alleged anti-party activities.

Along with Mr. Das, 18 others are mentioned in the complaint. Two others had been arrested earlier, while Mr. Das was arrested on Monday afternoon as he arrived at Dhaka’s Shah Jalal International Airport, on his way to Chittagong, as per reports from The Daily Star. “From his personal assistant, I found out that some plainclothes men, introducing themselves as members of the detective branch, picked him up from the entrance of the airport,” the report noted.

Following his arrest, protests erupted in another cities in Bangladesh as well, including Chittagong.

Meanwhile, the High Court in Bangladesh admitted a petition calling for a ban on ISKCON in the country. Student leaders in Bangladesh, who form an important block of support for the interim government, also called for an immediate ban. “ISKCON is acting as an agent of the Awami League, attempting to destabilise the country,” student coordinator Hasnat Abdullah said.

Response from ISKCON and other organisations

Mr. Das was recently expelled from ISKCON Bangladesh. Post his arrest, the society released a statement in support of Mr. Das and urged the government to promote peace between the communities, saying that as a “leading Sanatani organisation within the Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition” the society was dedicated to “safeguarding the religious freedoms and rights of minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and others.”

“We express our serious concern and strongly denounce the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot. We also condemn the subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. We urge the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence for the Sanatani community”, the statement read.

It further noted: “As a representative of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot and a Bangladeshi citizen, Chinmoy Krishna Das has been a vocal advocate for the protection of minority groups in the nation. It is essential to uphold his right to free speech and to support his efforts to encourage others to defend this right. Ensuring justice and fair treatment for him is crucial.”

It enumerated three demands to the government and relevant authorities, which include holding those responsible for the attacks on the Sanatani community accountable, protecting the civil rights of Chinmoy Krishna Das and other Sanatanis and implementing effective measures to maintain harmony among all communities. “Chinmoy Krishna Das and the Sanatani community deserve justice as citizens of this country, and we stress that any form of discrimination against them must not be tolerated”, it stressed, noting that it has “consistently urged the interim government and other leaders to ensure constitutional protections for minorities and to facilitate their full and unrestricted participation in society.”

Meanwhile, ISKCON Kolkata on November 27 said that it has spoken to the Centre about repeated targetting of their monks and other Hindu Vaishnavites in Bangladesh. ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharaman Das called the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das the latest example of the continuing attacks on ISKCON members as well as other minority communities in Bangladesh.

“The arrest and mounting threats by Islamists against ISKCON and other Hindu religious orders like Ramakrishna Mission had been going on for the past three months and Das’s arrest was the last instance as of now. The situation is alarming and we have urged the Ministry of External Affairs and the Union Home Ministry to take appropriate steps to save and protect the lives and properties of people under such attacks,” he said.

Politicians in India have also urged the government to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities in the neigbouring country. Newly elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi called on the Government of India to “intervene” and ensure safety and security for the minority community in Bangladesh.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, expressed concern as well. But she stressed that she preferred to not comment on the matter as it pertained to another nation, and said that her government would abide by the Centre’s decision in the matter. She has reportedly spoken to ISKCON representatives about the issue, but did not share any further information.

What are the claims surrounding anti-Hindu protests in Bangladesh?

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh and her flight from the country on August 5, 2024, there were multiple instances of supporters of her party, Awami League. being targeted by protestors. Many Hindus in Bangladesh have reportedly supported the Awami League as well. While there is no clarity on whether the protests have been expressly anti-Hindu, Hindus in Bangladesh have held rallies to demand protection. For example, about 30,000 Hindus rallied on November 1, 2024 in Chittagong to demand that the interim government protect them from attacks and harassment and drop sedition cases against Hindu community leaders. Similar protests were reported in other regions of the nation.

Rallies have also been held by Hindu outfits in India to protest alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh . On August 16, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree D. Pandit took part in a march protesting the issue organised under the banner of Nari Shakti forum, which is allied with RSS.

Meanwhile, Prof. Yunus, the leader of the interim government, has said that the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh was “exaggerated,” noting that the attacks on minorites in Bangladesh was more a political issue than a communal one.

Hindus are a minority in Bangladesh, comprising 8% of the total population. 91% of the country’s population are Muslims..