Bangladesh claims no systematic attack on Hindus, ISKCON monk arrested on specific charges

The Bangladeshi Army-backed interim administration has been accused to failing to protect Hindus in the country.

The arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das has been “misconstrued”, Bangladesh told a UN forum on minority issues, adding that the Hindu priest was arrested on specific charges. Bangladesh also denied any instance of a systematic attack on minorities in the country.

Das was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday. He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday.

After him, Bangladesh also sent the leader of the Hindu group ‘Sammilita Sanatani Jote’ to jail, triggering protests by Hindus across the country.

“With utter dismay, we note that the arrest of Chinmoy Das has been misconstrued by some speakers, although he was actually arrested on specific charges. The matter is being dealt with by our court of law,” said Tareq Md Ariful Islam, ambassador and permanent representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices and other international organisations in Geneva, at the 17th session of the Forum on Minorities Issues that took place on November 28-29.

Meanwhile, a representative of the International Forum for Secular Bangladesh (IFSB) told at the session that the situation right now in the country is “very alarming” and a “very burning issue.” Referring to Das’ arrest, the representative said that ISKCON is a very popular and peaceful organisation but the former ISKCON leader has been arrested with “nothing accused against him. He was arrested three days before in Dhaka and now Bangladesh every day …. the police, army … every day, they are torturing the minority.”

However, Islam asserted that “ensuring the safety and security of every citizen, including from the minority community, remains the cornerstone of the interim government of Bangladesh”.

He added, “This has been repeatedly reassured to minority religious leaders by our top leadership, and proved time and again in the first 100 days” of the interim government led by the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.

(With PTI inputs)