Dhaka: The Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday granted bail to prominent Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in a sedition case that has stirred political and communal tensions across the country.
A bench comprising Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza passed the order after hearing the bail plea of the former ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) leader, who has been in custody since his arrest last November.
According to his lawyer, Advocate Prahlad Debnath, Chinmoy Krishna Das is expected to be released soon, unless the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court intervenes and issues a stay on the High Court’s decision.
Earlier, on April 23, Advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee had urged the court to consider Das’s deteriorating health and prolonged imprisonment without trial. The court reserved its decision for a full hearing, which was concluded today.
Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on November 25, 2024, at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The arrest stemmed from a sedition case filed by Firoz Khan, a former BNP leader from Chattogram, who accused Das and 18 others of insulting the national flag during a rally on October 25. A Chittagong court subsequently denied bail and sent him to jail on November 26.
His arrest triggered widespread protests by Bangladesh’s minority Hindu community, who alleged political and religious persecution. The backlash coincided with a period of intense political instability in the country, following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s flight to India amid mass anti-government demonstrations.
India, closely monitoring the developments, had expressed serious concern over the treatment of the Hindu minority and the arrest of the spiritual leader.
Observers note that Hindu communities in Bangladesh have come under increasing attack in recent months, as tensions continue to rise following the fall of the Hasina-led government.
