Bangladesh Grants Bail to ISKCON Leader Chinmoy Krishna Das After 7 Months of Unexplained Detention

The Bangladesh government late Wednesday moved the Supreme Court’s chamber judge to seek a stay on the bail order granted to prominent spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been embroiled in a high-profile sedition case since November last year.

Earlier the same day, the High Court bench comprising Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, citing insufficient evidence to sustain the charges against him. The court declared the bail rule absolute, effectively allowing Das temporary relief from imprisonment.

However, the relief was short-lived as the government, expressing immediate dissatisfaction with the High Court’s order, filed an urgent petition with the Chamber Court seeking a stay. The chamber judge, who typically handles urgent judicial matters when a full bench is unavailable, did not stay the High Court’s decision but scheduled a hearing on the matter for Sunday.

“We have filed an appeal. The hearing will be held on Sunday,” Bangladesh’s Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque told ANI, declining to provide further details.

A Seven-Month Ordeal
Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known Hindu spiritual figure and former leader in ISKCON Bangladesh, has been behind bars since his arrest on November 25, 2024. His lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, expressed satisfaction with the High Court’s decision but warned of continued political pressure.

“The allegation was completely false against our leader. There is no evidence of flag dishonour or any seditious statement,” Bhattacharjee said. “We are happy for the judgment and hope he will be freed within a week after the order reaches Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Court.”

Bhattacharjee also criticized the state’s actions as politically motivated, claiming that no police investigation report had been filed even after seven months. “There is no sign of any speech or act by Chinmoy Prabhu that justifies a sedition charge,” he told ANI.

Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das?
Born in May 1985 in Karianagar village in Chattogram’s Satkania Upazila, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari widely known as Sri Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu rose to prominence as a child orator in Hindu religious circles. He received initiation (diksha) into ISKCON at age 12 in 1997 and has held various leadership roles within the organization, including divisional organising secretary in Chattogram.

He currently serves as the President of Pundarik Dham and is the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatani Jagran Jote, a platform advocating for the rights of religious minorities in the country. However, ISKCON Bangladesh confirmed that Das was removed from all positions within the organization several months ago.

The Controversy: Flag Allegations and Sedition Case
Das’s arrest stems from a rally held on October 25, 2024, at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram, organized by the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha. During the event, youth activists allegedly hoisted a saffron ISKCON flag above the national flag on the Independence Monument, sparking outrage on social media and in political circles.

A sedition case was subsequently filed by Firoz Khan, a local BNP leader, against Das and 18 others, accusing them of dishonoring the national flag and inciting anti-state sentiment. Interestingly, the BNP later expelled Khan for filing the case without the party’s consent, fueling speculation about internal political rifts and the legitimacy of the accusations.

International Outcry and Diplomatic Concern
The arrest triggered international responses, particularly from India and the United Kingdom. Post the arrest India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over Das’s safety and urged the Bangladeshi government to uphold the rights of its minority communities. UK lawmakers also raised the issue in Parliament, drawing attention to repeated attacks on Hindu temples and religious leaders in Bangladesh.

Worsening Situation for Hindus in Bangladesh
The arrest comes amid a broader deterioration of conditions for Hindus in the country. Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024, over 200 attacks on Hindu properties and temples have been reported across more than 50 districts.

With Hindus comprising about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million population, India has called on Dhaka’s interim administration, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, to prioritize the safety and security of minority groups.

Looking Ahead
As Chinmoy Krishna Das awaits his potential release from Chittagong Central Jail, all eyes are on the Chamber Court hearing scheduled for Sunday. The outcome may not only decide his immediate fate but could also set a precedent for how religious and political dissent is treated in Bangladesh’s transitional period.

The case underscores the volatile intersection of faith, politics, and national identity in Bangladesh raising urgent questions about minority rights, judicial independence, and the country’s democratic trajectory.