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, which resulted in the death of a lawyer.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A court in Chattogram has refused to grant bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, the former ISKCON leader, following a hearing held with heightened security on (January 2, 2025), The Daily Star reported.

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 today, 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 had 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.”

Earlier on December 3, 2024, Chittagong court had fixed January 2 for bail hearing as the prosecution submitted a time petition and there was no lawyer to represent Chinmoy.

The unrest in Bangladesh stems from the sedition charges filed against Chinmoy Krishna 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, which resulted in the death of a lawyer. The situation worsened following additional arrests.

Members of the ‘Sarv Hindu Samaj’ during a protest against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh and the alleged atrocities on Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A Bangladesh court on Wednesday (December 12, 2024) rejected a plea to advance the hearing of arrested Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das’ bail petition in a sedition case, ruling that it would be heard as previously fixed on January 2.

Court officials said Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam rejected the plea as the lawyer who filed the petition seeking the advanced hearing did not have the power of attorney from the monk.

“Advocate Rabindra Ghose sought the advanced hearing when another lawyer informed the judge that he (Ghose) did not have any power of attorney to represent the monk. The judge then rejected the plea,” a court official said.

In his plea, Mr. Goshe said Mr. Das was arrested in a “false and fabricated case” while he had been suffering from diabetes, asthma and other issues.

The lawyer, however, admitted that he did not go to the prison to obtain a signed power of attorney from Mr. Das. “I will visit Chinmoy in the prison now and obtain the Vakalatnama (power of attorney),” he said.

The hearing was due to be held on December 3 when the court deferred the date to January 2, 2025, on a prosecution side suggestion as no lawyer appeared on his behalf.

An associate of Mr. Das in his Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, Sawtantra Gauranga Das earlier said no lawyer stood for the monk, fearing threats and pressure from a “politically motivated lawyers’ group”.

Mr. Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. The next day, a court in Chattogram sent him to jail, rejecting his bail petition as he was accused of a sedition charge for allegedly disrespecting the country’s flag.

His arrest sparked protests, with his followers demonstrating in Dhaka and other places while the protest turned violent in Chattogram, where a lawyer was killed.

The advocate’s death sparked a counter-campaign, demanding a ban on ISKCON, which distanced itself from the priest, saying he was expelled from the organization six months ago.

On October 31, a case with Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram, accusing Mr. Das and 18 others of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag with a local leader of ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s BNP, who too was expelled by the party for obscure reasons.