In Bangladesh, Hindu students at the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) recently organised a recital of the Bhagavad Gita, known as Gita Path. The event was held in the Khulna district, marking an attempt to foster spiritual values and uphold Hindu traditions amidst an increasingly challenging environment for minorities in Bangladesh. The Gita Paath brought together Hindu students from various departments, creating a serene atmosphere of introspection and community.
The participants reflected on the teachings of Krishna, which emphasise righteousness and resilience in the face of adversity. This event comes at a time when the Hindu community in Bangladesh continues to grapple with rising instances of violence and systematic persecution. According to activists and human rights organisations, the dwindling Hindu population in the country is a direct consequence of targeted attacks, forced conversions, and social ostracism.
The incident echoes the troubling attack on ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) saints earlier this year. In Sylhet, Bangladesh, several ISKCON monks were brutally assaulted by a mob while they were returning from a temple ceremony. The saints were targeted for propagating Hindu teachings and practices, and their temple was ransacked, with sacred idols desecrated.
Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu, a prominent Bangladeshi Hindu monk & former member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested Monday (November 25) at Dhaka Airport, according to multiple news reports. The arrest has sparked protests across the city, with the Hindu community voicing outrage.
ISKCON Bangladesh spokesperson Haridas Das expressed his anguish, stating, “The attack on our saints is an attack on the principles of peace and harmony that ISKCON has always stood for. We are increasingly feeling unsafe in our homeland.”
In a post on social media platform X, Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor to the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said: “Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was charged with sedition after he led a massive rally of Hindus protesting targeted hate attacks and protection from Islamists. The tallest leader of the Hindu community is believed to have been taken to the Detective Branch of Yunus Regime.
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