Bangladesh Court Defers Hearing on Bail Plea of Hindu Saint Chinmoy Krishna Das
Dhaka, December 3 - Hindu saint Chinmoy Krishna Das failed to secure any relief from a Bangladesh court on Tuesday due to the absence of legal representation. His bail plea hearing has now been deferred by a month, according to media reports.
The Bdnews24.com reported that following a preliminary hearing on the bail plea, Chattogram Metropolitan Police ADC (Prosecution) Mofizur Rahman confirmed that the court has set January 2 for the next hearing. The decision on whether Das will be granted bail in the sedition case filed against him will only be known then.
The bail plea was scheduled to be heard at the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Court, presided over by Judge Mohammad Saiful Islam. However, no lawyer appeared on behalf of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
The court premises were heavily secured in anticipation of the hearing, with a large deployment of law enforcement officers. Despite the heightened security, Das was not brought to the court for the hearing.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Chattogram Bar Association and several other lawyers staged a protest march within the court premises.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Jote, was arrested on November 25 from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on sedition charges. The Chattogram court denied him bail the following day, remanding him to custody, which sparked demonstrations by his supporters.
The unrest following his arrest led to violent clashes in Chattogram, during which a lawyer lost their life.
After his bail plea was rejected, Das’s legal team immediately filed a review petition requesting a fresh hearing, but no immediate action was taken.
The case against Das comes amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the installation of an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. India has expressed concerns over increased violence against minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. Reports indicate a surge in attacks against the Hindu community in recent months, further straining bilateral relations.
