Dhaka: The outrage against the arrest of ISKCON ( International Society for Krishna Consciousness) priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh has gained momentum across the country and abroad, wherein several global leaders have called for the need to protect religious freedom and safety of minorities.
Das was arrested earlier this week in a sedition case and later denied bail by a court, triggering protests by community members in various locations, including the capital Dhaka, and the port city of Chattogram. As police attempted to transport the Hindu leader to jail, hundreds of his supporters surrounded the van carrying him, forcing it to stop for over an hour before security officials fired teargas to disperse the crowd.
Several Indian-American groups called for US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump's intervention to call on the government of Bangladesh to protect the minority Hindu community in the country. The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), in separate letters to Biden and Trump, cited more than 200 attacks against minority Hindus and the arrest of Das.
In an open letter to Trump, Hindus for America First (HFAF) recommended halting US funding for projects in Bangladesh tied to Beijing's ambitions and prioritizing initiatives that benefit America and its allies directly, Zee News reported. Vishva Hindu Parishad America (VHPA) president Ajay Shah said the news of Brahmachari’s arrest, vandalism of Kali Mandir in Chittagong, and the rising attacks on Hindus across Bangladesh are disconcerting.
American singer Mary Millben expressed concerns over the arrest and called on the world to address attacks against Hindus and minorities by "extremists" in the country. "The imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das and the continued attacks against Hindus and other minorities by extremists in Bangladesh must be addressed now by world leaders. We must preserve religious freedom, and the safety of all people of faith globally," Millben stated in a post on X.
On November 24, Indian-Americans in Silicon Valley gathered for a solidarity rally at Milpitas City Hall to condemn violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Community leaders urged US leaders to denounce the attacks, protect human rights, and hold the Bangladesh government accountable for ensuring the safety of Hindu minorities. Earlier this month, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi met with State Department officials to discuss the protection of Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh.
Twenty-five Australian Bangladeshi organizations have demanded the release of the Hindu monk. In India, several political parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress and ministers from the ruling BJP echoed similar sentiments against Das' arrest. They demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervene in the matter and urged to seek an answer from the Muhammed Yunus-led interim government.
Das faces charges of sedition filed in October after he led a huge rally in Chattogram in which he was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag. A day after Das' arrest, a lawyer was killed during clashes between the security personnel and followers of Hindu community leader Das, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a Bangladesh court. At least 30 suspects were detained in Chattogram city for their alleged involvement in the killing of a lawyer and attacking security personnel over the arrest of Das, police said.
Since August, Das has led several large rallies demanding safety for the Hindus. Many in the interim government reportedly see the rallies by Hindus as a threat to stability and a ploy to rehabilitate former PM Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party. A petition has been submitted to the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on ISKCON.
