The arrest of Hindu monk and minority leader Chinmoy Krishna Das has brought India to voice serious concerns regarding an alarming rise in attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh.
“The urgent concern of minorities is the erosion of their rights to peaceful assembly and expression. This signals a strong and resolute determination of the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of minorities,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
Spokesperson MEA Randhir Jaiswal released the statement stating India’s concerns:”We have taken with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh.”
“While the perpetrators of such atrocities roam free, the Bangladesh authorities are filling police charges against a religious leader who made entirely legitimate demands through peaceful assemblies. We urge the Bangladesh authorities to ensure the security and safety of Hindus and all minorities, including their right to peaceful assembly and expression.”
Our statement on the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das:https://t.co/HbaFUPWds0 pic.twitter.com/cdgSx6iUQb
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 26, 2024
The statement also referred to documented cases of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, including arson and looting of property, damaging temples, and attacking peaceful protesters.
Who Is Chinmoy Krishna Das?
Chinmoy Krishna Das, whose other name is Chandan Kumar Dhar, is a Hindu leader and is known to be the former divisional organizing secretary of ISKCON in Chattogram. On November 26, Bangladeshi authorities arrested him at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on the charge of sedition.
Sedition Case Details
Sedition charges have been filed against ten people, including Catholic priest Paul Nasarin, after a complaint was filed on October 31 by Firoz Khan, former general secretary of the Mohora ward of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, BNP. According to reports, the complaint documents that Bangladesh’s national flag was disrespected while a Hindu activist group, involving Chinmoy Krishna Das and 18 others, held a rally in Chattogram’s New Market area.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch confirmed the arrest, with additional commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallick stating that Das was detained as part of an investigation into the sedition case.
Broader Concerns Over Minority Safety
The arrest has further fueled growing concerns about minorities in Bangladesh. Violent attacks against Hindus, as well as the desecration of temples and idols, have become increasingly common. Moreover, the call for justice repeatedly failed to come true as most are left unpunished, which scares the minorities even more.
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