Bangladesh: Why did arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Das spark global outcry?
The protest against the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh has gained momentum across the country and abroad, wherein several global leaders, and eminent personalities raised grave conditions of Hindus after PM Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.
A prominent Bangladeshi Hindu leader who has been leading rallies demanding security for Hindus in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation was ordered detained on charges of sedition on Tuesday. The magistrate court of Kazi Shariful Islam denied bail to Krishna Das Prabhu and ordered him detained pending further proceedings. One lawyer was killed and scores were injured after clashes broke out following Tuesday’s court order.
As police attempted to transport the Hindu leader to jail, hundreds of his supporters surrounded the van carrying him, forcing it to stop for over an hour before security officials fired teargas to disperse the crowd. Protesters threw stones at police during a brief confrontation, before the way was cleared and Prabhu was taken to jail. As the tension grew, live TV showed dozens of Muslims joining the security officials, chasing Hindu protesters and throwing stones at them. The United News of Bangladesh news agency quoted a police official as saying that lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death during the melee. Some reports blamed the Hindu protesters for the killing, but details were sketchy.
Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari?
The Hindu leader, Chinmoy Krishna Das, is associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), widely known as the Hare Krishna movement, and acts as a spokesman for the group in Bangladesh. He is a prominent Hindu leader and a respected figure. He is a member of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group.
