Bangladesh Court to Hear Bail Plea of Arrested Hindu Leader on Tuesday

Dhaka, December 1: A Bangladesh court has scheduled a hearing on December 3 to consider the bail plea of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu leader arrested last week on sedition charges. According to media reports, the hearing will take place before Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Saif-ul-Islam in Chattogram.

Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Samilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested on November 27 at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. He was accused of sedition for allegedly desecrating Bangladesh’s national flag during a Hindu community rally in Chattogram’s New Market area on October 30.

Following his arrest, Das was denied bail by a Chattogram court on November 28 and subsequently sent to jail. This led to protests by his supporters, resulting in clashes in Chattogram that claimed one life.

According to Chattogram Metropolitan Police’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Mofiz-ur-Rahman, the hearing was initially scheduled earlier but was delayed due to a lawyers' strike on Wednesday and Thursday. The date was finalized for December 3.

Related Actions and Allegations

In addition to Das, 18 others were named in the sedition case filed at the Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram. The charges stemmed from allegations of disrespecting the national flag during the Hindu rally.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi authorities on Thursday ordered a 30-day freeze on transactions from bank accounts associated with 17 individuals connected to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), including Das, who is a former member.

This case has sparked significant unrest and drawn attention to tensions surrounding minority rights and freedom of expression in Bangladesh. The upcoming hearing is expected to be closely watched by both national and international observers.