Dhaka, September 7 (Daily Kiran) : Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader in Bangladesh, has been granted bail in two cases but remains in prison due to additional charges. This situation has raised concerns and frustrations among Hindu organizations in the country. Local media reported on the latest developments following a court order.
A High Court bench, including Justices KM Zahid Sarwar and Sheikh Abu Tahir, granted bail to Chinmoy after hearing two separate petitions filed by him on Sunday. The charges against him stem from incidents on November 26, 2024, involving vandalism at the Kotwali police station in Chattogram and obstructing police from performing their duties.
Chinmoy’s lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, stated that the Hindu leader has been incarcerated since November 25, 2024, facing a total of six cases, including charges of murder and treason. Although he has received bail from both the High Court and lower courts in five of these cases, the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has stayed the High Court’s bail order concerning the treason charge.
Chinmoy was arrested in Dhaka on November 25, 2024, and was sent to jail the following day after a Chattogram court denied his bail application. On December 11, that same court again refused to grant him bail.
His arrest has sparked widespread protests among the Hindu community in Bangladesh and beyond. The country has witnessed a surge in violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, which has been exacerbated during the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus and continues under the current administration of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
In response to Chinmoy’s ongoing detention, the Coalition of Hindus of North America (COHNA) condemned the situation, labeling it a “mockery” and “government-sponsored persecution.” The organization took to social media on Monday to express their outrage, stating, “A Hindu leader who has advocated for the basic safety and human rights of minorities in his country has now been imprisoned for almost two years. This is a prime example of government-sponsored persecution—he is accused of a murder that occurred while he was in police custody.”
COHNA further pointed out that the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh has persisted through various administrations, noting, “In 1951, Hindus made up 22% of the population; today, that figure has dwindled to 8%.” The organization characterized the ongoing violence against Hindus as a “slow genocide” and questioned whether the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is monitoring the conditions in this South Asian nation.
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