Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Gets Bail In Bangladesh In Sedition Case

Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was granted bail by the Bangladesh High Court in a sedition case, after six months of arrest, per ANI. Mr. Das, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote was arrested on November 25 at Dhaka airport. He was charged for insulting the national flag of Bangladesh.

After a lower court rejected his application for bail, he applied in the High Court where the order was passed by a bench of Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza.

His arrest had 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, and further strained relations between India and Bangladesh.

As President of Pundarik Dham, Mr Das has long been a voice for those seeking religious freedom and minority protection. He previously held the position of divisional organising secretary for ISKCON in Chattogram but ISKCON Bangladesh said that he had been removed from all positions in the organisation.

He was born in May 1985 in Karianagar village, located in the Satkania Upazila of Chattogram. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari gained recognition for his skills as a child orator within religious circles. His spiritual journey began at a young age, and by 1997, at just 12 years old, he took diksha (initiation) and joined ISKCON as a brahmachari.

In response to Brahmachari's arrest last year, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India had expressed “deep concern” over the court's decision to deny him bail in January. An MEA statement emphasised that the arrest occurred against the backdrop of widespread violence against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. The MEA pointed out that these attacks, including arson, looting of minority-owned properties, theft, vandalism, and desecration of temples and deities, have continued unchecked. It was noted that despite these attacks, religious leaders like Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who advocate for peaceful change, are facing charges, while the perpetrators of violence remain unpunished.