The Bangladesh police on Friday arrested two Hindu monks and charged them with sedition after they delivered medicines to Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in prison, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, has claimed, The Indian Express reported on Sunday.
Chinmoy Krishna Das has been in jail since November 25. He is the spokesperson of the Sammilito Sanatani Jagaron Jote, an organisation that advocates for the rights of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. He was formerly associated with ISKCON.
Das was arrested for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally on October 25 in Chittagong.
“We have got information that two monks were arrested by Bangladesh police on Friday,” Radharamn Das, the vice-president of ISKCON Kolkata, was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “They had gone to jail to give medicines to Chinmoy Krishna Das. When they were returning, the police arrested them. We strongly protest against such arrests and appeal to the Bangladesh government to give protection to minorities.”
The monks have been identified as Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Prabhu.
Radharamn Das shared a photograph of Shyam Das on X, stating: “Does he look like a terrorist? #FreeISKCONMonks Bangladesh. The arrest of innocent #ISKCON brahmacharis are deeply shocking & disturbing.”
He also posted a video purportedly of an ISKCON centre in Bhairav, Bangladesh being vandalised. “No respite in sight,” he wrote. “#SaveBangladeshiHindus.”
The Sammilito Sanatani Jagaron Jote also confirmed the arrest of the two monks and accused the authorities of targeting Hindus, reported The Indian Express.
“Monks who went to give medicines to Chinmoy Krishna Das were arrested by police,” the group said in a statement on Saturday. “Other Hindus are also being arrested. Where is human rights? Where is the protection for minorities?”
On Friday, India’s foreign ministry reiterated its concern over the alleged attacks on Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh and called for a “fair and transparent” trial for Chinmoy Krishna Das.
“Our position on the matter is clear – the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation…ISKCON is a globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service.”
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the developments surrounding Das’s arrest are the country’s “internal affairs.” It rejected India’s remarks on Tuesday urging Dhaka to “ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression”.
Earlier this week, ISKCON clarified that Das was no longer associated with it but stressed its support for his “rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship”, reported The Indian Express.
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