In Bangladesh, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari of ISKCON Pundrik Dham was arrested at Dhaka airport by the police. He is the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, an organization advocating for minority rights and security. A Facebook page associated with Pundarik Dham shared a photo of Chinmoy Krishna Das, claiming he was “picked up by individuals identifying themselves as members of the Detective Branch of the police” from the airport.
The Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Police confirmed that Chinmoy Krishna was taken into custody following a complaint. “He was detained following a complaint and will be handed over to the appropriate police station,” the officer said, though the exact allegations against him remain unspecified.
Gaurang Das Brahmachari, a key organizer of Bangladesh Sanatani Jagran Jote, told the media that Chinmoy Prabhu was supposed to fly from Dhaka to Chittagong. “We have heard that the police picked him up from the airport,” he said.
Chinmoy Krishna has been a prominent advocate for the Hindu (Sanatani) community in Bangladesh, pushing for significant reforms, including the creation of a minority protection law, a speedy trial tribunal for cases involving minority persecution, and a dedicated minority affairs ministry.
He gained attention after organizing large public rallies, including one in Chittagong on October 25 and another in Rangpur on November 22, which stirred socio-political discourse across the country.
However, controversy arose after a sedition case was filed against him and 18 others at Kotwali Police Station in Chittagong on October 30. The allegations stemmed from the hoisting of a saffron flag above the official flag of Bangladesh during the October 25 rally at Chattogram’s Laldighi Maidan.
By – Navalsang Parmar (Dhaka)