 "How Iskcon is caught in the crosshairs as unrest grips Bangladesh")
Bangladesh’s International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) has come into the spotlight since the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was once associated with the Hindu religious organisation. Now, reports have emerged of arrests of other Hindu priests in the South Asian country.
Das’ arrest fuelled protests in Bangladesh, with clashes occurring between the minority Hindu community and security forces last week. Iskcon spokesperson in Kolkata, Radharamn Das, reportedly said that atrocities against religious minorities are “not stopping" even after 100 days in the neighbouring country.
Over 200 attacks have been reported against Hindus in Bangladesh since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on.
Iskcon in limelight
Iskcon spokesperson Radharamn Das claimed on X Sunday (December 1) that 63 monks were stopped in Bangladesh from crossing into India.
“They had all valid Indian visa[s] and other documents. But Bangladeshi Border Police said that Bangladeshi Intelligence has told them not to allow them to enter India. Already four of our Brahmacharis they have arrested & now not allowing other Brahmacharis to travel to India. Please pray,” he wrote.
Bangladesh stops 63 Iskcon Brahmachari's from crossing into India. They had all valid Indian Visa and other documents. But Bangladeshi Boarder Police said that Bangladeshi Intelligence has told them not to allow them to enter India. Already 4 of our Brahmacharis they have… pic.twitter.com/QQDuCYlj4m
— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) December 1, 2024
Iskcon has said that 54 monks reached the Benapole land port in Bangladesh over the weekend and stopped from entering India, reported Indian Express.
“We consulted the Special Branch of Police and received instructions from the higher authorities not to permit them,” Benapole Immigration Checkpost Officer-in-Charge (OC) Imtiaz Ahsanul Quader Bhuiya said, as per Bangladesh’s Daily Star.
He reportedly said that 54 Iskcon devotees were not allowed to go to India over “suspicions regarding their travel purposes”.
The Iskcon members say they were coming to India for religious purposes.
According to IANS, Saurabh Tapandar Cheli, an Iskcon member, said, “We were going to participate in a religious ceremony in India, but immigration officials stopped us, citing the absence of government permission.”
Radharamn has claimed two more Hindu priests were arrested in Bangladesh. He told PTI, “I have received information that two more ISKCON monks have been arrested by police in Bangladesh.”
“After Chinmoy Krishna Das , two more Hindu saints Ranganath Shyamsunder Das Brahmachari and Rudrapati Keshav Das Brahmachari were arrested from Pundarik Dham by Bangladesh Police,” he also wrote on X.
Sources told India Today that these two priests had gone to deliver food, medicine, and money to Das in jail. A Bangladeshi cop said the duo was being treated as suspects in the ongoing probe.
Another Hindu priest identified as Shyam Das Prabhu was detained from Chattogram last week. He is also said to have visited Das in jail, as per ThePrint.
Do they look like terrorists? All of them have been arrested by Bangladeshi police without any reason. #ISKCON #FreeISKCONMonks pic.twitter.com/q60qzDD0Ct
— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) December 1, 2024
Arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das
Chinmoy Krishna Das’ arrest in Bangladesh has created an uproar among Hindus in Bangladesh. Hindu protesters clashed with security forces last week after Das was denied bail by a magistrate court in Chittagong/Chattogram.
Das, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was arrested in Dhaka’s main airport last Monday (November 25) while travelling to Chittagong on several charges, including sedition.
Das has been accused of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag. As per a Dhaka Tribune report, the sedition case was filed against him and 18 others for allegedly hoisting a saffron flag above Bangladesh’s national flag in October.
Since Hasina fled in August, Das has led several large rallies calling for safety for the Hindus, reported Associated Press (AP).
Last Thursday, Iskcon Bangladesh distanced itself from Das, saying his “actions are not representative” of the religious body.
As per reports, Iskcon said Das was expelled from the organisation in October this year due to a breach of discipline.
Later, Iskcon denied claims that it had distanced itself from Das.
“Iskcon has not, and does not distance itself from supporting Chinmoy Krishna Das’s rights and freedom for peacefully calling for protecting Hindus and their places of worship,” the religious organisation said in a statement.
“We have only clarified, something that was already said by us in the past many months, regarding him not officially representing Iskcon in Bangladesh,” it further added.
Clarifying ISKCON's position and support for religious rights in Bangladesh pic.twitter.com/dtP6Qu0NoR
— ISKCON (@iskcon) November 28, 2024
Das, who is arrested on sedition charges, will be presented before Bangladesh’s top court today (December 2). The development will be keenly watched in the country as well as India.
Das heads the Chittagong’s Pundarik Dham, a key part of Iskcon in Bangladesh. He is also the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, reported The Hindu.
Iskcon being targeted
There have been calls for a ban on Iskcon in Bangladesh. However, last week, the Bangladesh High Court refused to pass a suo moto order to ban the organisation.
It came after the Bangladesh Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman called Iskcon a “religious fundamentalist organisation” before the court.
As per NDTV, an Iskcon centre was vandalised by an angry mob in Bangladesh’s Bhairav area.
Moreover, reports say authorities in Bangladesh have frozen the bank accounts of 17 people linked to Iskcon, including Chinmoy Krishna Das.
India has expressed “deep concern” over the incidents of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, along with calling Das’ arrest “unfortunate”.
“India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric. We call upon Bangladesh to take steps for the protection of minorities,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
It said it has pushed for a “fair and transparent trial” for Das.
Responding to the MEA’s statement, Bangladesh said it misrepresented facts and was “contrary” to the friendly ties between the two countries.
With inputs from agencies
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