Synopsis
In a significant legal development, the Bangladesh High Court has granted bail to prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das amid ongoing concerns about the safety of minorities in the country. This ruling comes after widespread protests and international scrutiny regarding the treatment of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.Key Takeaways
- Chinmoy Krishna Das has been granted bail after facing sedition charges.
- The arrest drew international condemnation and highlighted the plight of minorities in Bangladesh.
- Protests erupted following Das's arrest, demanding justice for the Hindu community.
- The interim government faces scrutiny over its treatment of minorities.
- Reports indicate a rise in violence against Hindus since the government change.
Dhaka, April 30 (NationPress) Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known Hindu leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, was granted bail by the High Court on Wednesday concerning an alleged sedition case.
The ruling was made by a bench comprising Justice Atoar Rahman and Justice Ali Reza following a final hearing.
Earlier this year, the High Court had issued a rule after reviewing Das's bail application, requesting clarification on why bail should not be granted.
Last week, the High Court scheduled April 30 for the rule hearing, after which the court declared the rule absolute and rendered its verdict, as reported by Bangladesh's leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo.
Das was arrested on November 25 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on charges of sedition and had remained in jail despite widespread calls for his release.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police took Chinmoy Krishna into custody, a move condemned globally and highlighting the ongoing crimes against the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Krishna is not only connected with the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajot (BJHM), a significant national alliance of 23 religious organizations, but also with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). His arrest sparked a series of protests demanding his immediate release.
Since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took office on August 8 after the fall of the Awami League regime under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Hindu community has faced numerous incidents of vandalism, looting, arson, land grabbing, and threats.
Despite Yunus and his religious affairs advisor A.F.M. Khalid Hossain assuring that the government supports communal harmony, the communal violence that erupted immediately after Hasina's departure from Dhaka has instilled fear, anxiety, and uncertainty among minority groups, especially Hindus.
A report by the Dhaka-based human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra (AsK) last month revealed a total of 147 incidents of vandalism against the Hindu community, including 408 households and 36 cases of arson.
Additionally, there were reports of 113 incidents involving businesses owned by minorities, 32 attacks on temples and mosques of the Ahmadiyya sect, and 92 incidents of idol vandalism across various temples.
Following the fall of the Awami League government, there have been numerous attacks on minority communities, particularly targeting Hindus, with their residences, businesses, and places of worship being assaulted and even set ablaze.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns regarding the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, during his meeting with Yunus at the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
India has consistently voiced its worries over the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, hoping that the interim government under Yunus will act decisively against the perpetrators of violence.
