ISKCON Bangladesh has condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a leading Hindu leader and spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and also issued a list of demands to the Muhammad Yunus-led government for subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh.
The organization has also issued a statement and called upon the government authorities to promote peaceful coexistence.
ISKCON Bangladesh noted the above points and more matters in a statement issued regarding the current situation in Bangladesh and the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
"We express our serious concern and strongly denounce the recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot". We also condemn the subsequent violence and attacks against Sanatanis in various regions of Bangladesh. We urge the government authorities, to promote peaceful coexistence for the Sanatani community", the statement said.
"As a representative of the "Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot" and a Bangladeshi citizen, Chinmoy Krishna Das has been a vocal advocate for the protection of minority groups in the nation. It is essential to uphold his right to free speech and to support his efforts to encourage others to defend this right. Ensuring justice and fair treatment for him is crucial," the statement added.
It also declared, "Chinmoy Krishna Das and the Sanatani community deserve justice as citizens of this country, and we stress that any form of discrimination against them must not be tolerated."
ISKCON Bangladesh published three demands to "the Government and Relevant Authorities".
These include the identification and prosecution of the perpetrators responsible for attacks on the Sanatani community, protection of the civil rights of Chinmoy Krishna Das and other Sanatanis, and implementation of immediate and effective measures to maintain peace and harmony among all communities in the country.
"As one of the leading Sanatani bodies within the Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition, ISKCON in Bangladesh has been committed to preserving religious freedom and the rights of minorities, which comprise Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and other sections of society," said a statement.
"We have continuously pressed the interim government and other leaders to ensure constitutional protections for minorities and to facilitate their full and unrestricted participation in society. We urge the government and administration to take swift and effective action in collaboration with leaders of the Sanatani community to address these concerns," it added.
"Bangladesh is our birth land and motherland. We are proud of being citizens of the nation where most of the Acharyas and babajis were born in Bangladesh. As citizens of the nation, we must peacefully cooperate with the Bangladeshi government- present and future. Let us request the government, along with the authorities that the justice should be addressed for all and every Bangladeshi citizen gets a chance to practice all his faiths as per faith and conscience", ISCKON Bangladesh said in their statements.
It further stated, "ISKCON Bangladesh remains committed to peaceful coexistence and promotion of human values. We hope the government and other relevant authority will realize the situation and take peaceful steps to revive harmony and guide the nation to communal unity."
The statement finally called upon people to "practice religious tolerance and refrain from any provocative action".
Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested on Monday, was produced before a court in Chittagong on Tuesday. The court rejected his bail application and remanded him to jail custody.
Dhaka Tribune reported that Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari appeared before the Chittagong Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate's Court judge Kazi Shariful Islam at 11 am on Tuesday. His lawyers filed a bail petition but it was rejected and he was ordered to be sent to jail.
A sedition case has been lodged against Chinmoy Krishna Das on charges of hoisting a flag on a flagstand with Bangladesh's national flag. However, the complainant has expressed reluctance to pursue the case, said a minority leader.
Expressing a sense of concern for him on Tuesday, BHBCUC, the largest minority grouping of Bangladesh, urged on to the interim government in high voice to release Mr Chinmoy Krishna Das.
"We strongly condemn his arrest from Dhaka Airport Area on Monday afternoon on an anonymous tip-off against Mr Prabhu Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, secretary Spokesman of the Hindu Sanatan Jagran, united group, said manindra Kumar Nath, the general acting secretary of BHBCUC".
Read also| Bangladesh Court Denies Bail to Hindu Priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, Orders Jail Custody
