Bangladesh Court to Hear Chinmoy Prabhu Bail Plea Today, ISKCON Says His Lawyer in ICU After Attack

Dhaka: Tensions in Muhammad Yunus-led Bangladesh are on the rise as minorities in the country continue to be attacked, especially the Hindus. Last week, ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on sedition charges, sparking massive outrage and protests worldwide. A court in Bangladesh will be hearing the Hindus leader's bail plea today.

Will Chinmoy Prabhu Get Bail Today? Bangladesh Court to Hear Plea

A court in Bangladesh had set December 3 as the date for the bail hearing of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested last week on sedition charges, according to a media report. Today's hearing will be conducted by Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Saiful Islam, according to Additional Deputy Commissioner Mofizur Rahman of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police.

A Chattogram court official said that the date for the hearing had already been set but the announcement was delayed due to a boycott and work abstention by lawyers on Wednesday and Thursday.

ISKCON Claims Hindu Leader's Lawyer Brutally Attacked

Advocate Ramen Roy, the lawyer who is defending Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, has been brutally attacked in Bangladesh and is in the ICU, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das claimed on Monday. According to Das, Islamists attacked Roy's house and brutally attacked him who is now battling for life.

Taking to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Radharam Das posted a photo of injured Advocate Ramen Roy, who is getting treatment in a hospital saying, “Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life.”

Bangladesh on the Boil - Complete Timeline

• Chinmoy Krishna Das' Arrest: Chinmoy was arrested following allegations that he disrespected the national flag of Bangladesh during a rally in Chittagong, which was organised to protest the alleged persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Later, he was denied bail and sent behind bars.
• Chinmoy Prabhu's Aides Put Behind Bars: Earlier on November 29, two more monks were arrested in Bangladesh while they were returning after meeting Chinmoy Das. The two monks were identified as Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari.
• Govt Prosecutor Killed in Clashes: Further, assistant government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif was killed on Tuesday in clashes between police and the supporters of Das in Chattogram which fuelled anger among Bangladeshi nationals, attracting widespread condemnation and demands to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh.
• B'desh HC Refuses Ban on ISKCON, Muhammad Yunus-Govt Withdraws Case: Bangladesh High Court refused to ban the religious organisation and as per reports, the High Court said that 'there is no need for it to intervene as the government has taken appropriate steps in the ISKCON issue and the murder of lawyer Saiful in Chittagong.' It further urged the government to be careful so that no one is harmed following the current tensions. The Muhammad Yunus-led government on Thursday (November 28) withdrew the case against ISKCON amid the ongoing protest across the country over the arrest of Chinmoy Prabhu.
• Bangladesh Govt Freezes Accounts of 17: Bangladesh's authorities have ordered freezing for 30 days the bank accounts of 17 people associated with ISKCON, including its former member Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested this week on sedition charges, media reports said Friday.
• 3 Hindu Temples Vandalised: Three Hindu temples were vandalised by a slogan-shouting mob on Friday in Bangladesh’s Chattogram which has witnessed protests and violence since a former ISKCON member was booked under sedition charges. The attack took place around 2:30 pm in the port city's Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, where the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the nearby Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple were targeted, news portal BDNews24.com reported.
• Bangladeshi Journo Mobbed, Accused of Being ‘Indian Agent’: A prominent Bangladeshi journalist Munni Saha was surrounded by a angry mob and briefly held hostage in the capital city's Karwan Bazar area and was accused of being an 'Indian agent' on Saturday. The incident unfolded as Saha who a well-known TV journalist was leaving a media office when she was accused of being an Indian agent and a supporter of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina .
• Indian National Sayan Ghosh Attacked: Sayan Ghosh, a 22-year-old Indian Hindu from Deshapriya Nagar, Belgharia, was reportedly attacked in Bangladesh on November 25. Sayan, the son of Sukanta Ghosh, had traveled to Bangladesh on November 23. Ghosh claimed that, however, that he was denied treatment at two private medical facilities and finally went to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
• ISKCON Members Denied Permission to Go to India: 54 ISKCON members who possessed valid passports and visas were turned back on Sunday by Bangladesh's immigration police from Benapole border crossing when they tried to cross into India, a media report said. Local media reported that the Bangladesh police did not allow them to proceed, citing 'suspicious travel'.

(Inputs from PTI)