The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, continues targeting the minorities in the country, especially Hindus, with a Supreme Court lawyer who is now the Attorney General of the country reportedly referring to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as a "religious fundamentalist organisation" during a High Court hearing on Wednesday.
"It is a religious fundamentalist organisation. The government is already scrutinising them," said Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman when a High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury sought details about the spiritual body and its functioning in Bangladesh.
A lawyer named Monir Uddin had sought a suo motu order from the court, requesting a ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh and imposition of section 144 in Chittagong following widespread protests that are being held in the country after the shocking arrest and jailing of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha and head of Pundarik Dham who is also associated with ISKCON.
Bangladesh Attorney General Asaduzzaman has also referred to media reports on violence that erupted after the arrest and jailing of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Death of a 32-year-old lawyer Saiful Islam in a Chittagong court on Tuesday is another sad incident.
The High Court directed Asaduzzaman to appear on Thursday with further information on registration of ISKCON, people involved with the organisation and "whether the government has taken any action regarding them or not".
Later, local media reports that Asaduzzaman told the government is looking into the incident seriously and will take appropriate legal action.
Whether this organisation is registered or not, whether this organisation will be banned or not, what measures will be taken - these are the policy decisions of the government. The government will look into it and take proper legal action. Everything should come before the court to ban suo moto," Prothom Alo, a leading Bengali newspaper in Bangladesh, quoted Asaduzzaman as saying.
The so-called 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' that caused the government led by the erstwhile Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to fall in August is now led by its leaders, Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam. They too have called for an immediate ban on ISKCON Bangladesh, terming it an organization that incites unrest.
ISKCON is acting as an agent of the Awami League to try and destabilise the country. The brutal killing of Saiful Islam is the handiwork of this extremist organization. This was said by Hasnat Abdullah while addressing a rally at the Tiger Pass intersection in Chattogram on Wednesday afternoon.
Ordinary Sanatanis in the country are peace-loving, but the agents of the dictator Hasina are trying to create an unstable situation in the country by inciting ISKCON. However, we will not let that happen as long as we are alive. We demand an immediate ban on ISKCON," Daily Star quoted Sarjis Alam as saying at the rally.
Another development is a Supreme Court lawyer Al Mamun Russell also issued a legal notice demanding a ban on ISKCON and persecution of the killers of lawyer Saiful Islam.
"The notice, issued on behalf of 10 lawyers, was addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the Inspector General of Police on Wednesday. It claims that ISKCON has been running in Bangladesh as a militant organisation and indulging in activities aimed at triggering communal anarchy," reported Dhaka Tribune.
Interestingly, the much more obvious reaction from Bangladeshi Islamists came less than 18 hours after the Yunus government pledged to uphold "communal harmony" in the country, Tuesday evening, following a severe backlash from Hindus all over the world and a strong statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after Chinmoy Krishna Das was sent to jail.
Speaking on recent reports of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus, India has said the latest incidents are a continuation of a spree of attacks by extremist elements targeting Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
"Documented cases of arson, looting of minority homes and businesses, theft, vandalism, and desecration of deities and temples are deeply troubling… It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das," the MEA stated.
Read also| Bangladesh Court Denies Bail to Hindu Priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, Orders Jail Custody
