Hindu monk and former ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested in Bangladesh, faced another setback on Tuesday as his bail hearing was postponed. The delay occurred due to the unavailability of any lawyer to represent him, according to reports. His next bail hearing has now been scheduled for January 2, 2025.
Das, who previously served as the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested last Monday at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in connection with a sedition case. Known within the ISKCON community as Sri Chinmay Krishna Prabhu, Das is an influential religious leader in Bangladesh. He also held the position of divisional organizing secretary for ISKCON in Chattogram.
In a related development, the ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson, Radharamn Das, revealed that Advocate Ramen Roy, who had defended Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in a legal case in Bangladesh, was brutally attacked by a group of Islamists. Roy is now in critical condition and fighting for his life in an ICU. Das described Roy's only "fault" as defending Prabhu in court. The attack reportedly involved a mob that ransacked Roy’s home, leaving him severely injured.
“Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life. #SaveBangladeshiHindus #FreeChinmoyKrishnaPrabhu,” Das posted on X, accompanied by a picture of Roy in the ICU.
The situation has sparked significant tensions. On Monday, India expressed its "deep regret" over an incident where a group of protesters breached the premises of the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala, India. The protesters, demonstrating against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das and attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, reportedly vandalized the assistant high commission's property.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the breach, emphasizing that consular properties must never be targeted. The MEA also announced that security at Bangladeshi missions in India would be reinforced in light of the incident.
Thousands of protesters had gathered in Agartala, showing their support for Das and raising concerns about the safety of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The MEA referred to the breach as "deeply regrettable," stressing the need for respect for diplomatic missions and international protocol.