DHAKA: At least one person was killed in clashes in Bangladesh’s Chattogram between security forces and Hindus protesting the arrest of a religious leader even as India asked the neighbouring nation to ensure the safety of Hindus and all minorities.
The clashes were triggered by the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a monk associated with International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon), from the Dhaka airport area on Monday on several charges, including “sedition”. He was taken to the court today, which denied him bail, sparking protests by his supporters in different districts, including Dhaka, Chattogram, Cumilla, Khulna, Dinajpur and Cox’s Bazar.
As the monk was being taken to jail, around 2,000 of his supporters, chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans on the court premises, disrupted the movement of the prison van and demanded his immediate release. The police and members of Border Guard Bangladesh fired sound grenades and charged batons at the protesters to clear the way of the van. “A Muslim lawyer defending Das was killed amid protests outside the court in Chattogram,” said police officer Liaquat Ali.
The arrest and the baton-charge triggered a sharp exchange of words between India and Bangladesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it had noted with “deep concern” the arrest and denial of bail to Das, and also the “attack on the minority community members who were protesting peacefully”.
“It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of vandalism and arson against minorities remain at large, charges have been pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” the MEA said in a sternly worded statement. It said Bangladesh must ensure the safety of Hindus and protect their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. In response, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said “Das’ arrest was its internal matter”.
“Bangladesh notes with utter dismay and deep sense of hurt that the arrest has been misconstrued by certain quarters… such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts, but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two countries,” it said.
The sedition charges were slapped against Das in October following a large rally he led in Chittagong, in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag.
Besides being associated with Iskcon, Das was a spokesperson of Hindu group Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. After his arrest, Das asked his supporters to remain peaceful. “We are not against the state and the government. We, the Sanatanis, are a part of the state… We will not do anything to destabilise the state and destroy peaceful coexistence,” he said.
The Hindu religious organisation said it was “really disturbing” to see that Das, one of the society’s prominent leaders in Bangladesh, had been arrested by the Dhaka police. “It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that Iskcon has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world,” it said in a post on X. Seeking his immediate release, Iskcon urged the Centre to take up the matter with Bangladesh and convey that “we are a peace-loving Bhakti movement”.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said BJP MLAs would stage a march to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and “gherao” it on Wednesday seeking the immediate release of Das.