ISKCON priest Chinmoy Das granted bail 7 months after being arrested in Bangladesh

The Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday granted bail to ISKCON leader Chandan Kumar Dhar, known as Chinmoy Krishna Das, in a sedition case, reported The Daily Star.

Chinmoy Das was arrested following a controversy that erupted when a sedition case was filed against him and 18 others in Chittagong on October 30 last year.

The charges were linked to the hoisting of a saffron flag above Bangladesh's official flag during the October 25 rally at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram.

Chimoy Das was presented before a Chittagong court on Tuesday, where his bail plea was denied, and he was sent into custody. 

Chinmoy Das is anticipated to be released from custody pursuant to the High Court's directive, unless the Supreme Court's Appellate Division issues a stay on the High Court's ruling, according to lawyer Prolad Deb Nath, who represents Das, as reported by The Daily Star.

In Dhaka, Chinmoy Krishna Das' advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee told ANI, "After 7 months, the court finds no specific evidence and today we produced all kinds of documents in favour of him and the court granted him bail. We hope that he will be free within one week. There is no such provision, but I think the government will try for a stay, and they may go to the Supreme Court."

Under Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh has been going through a tense period with Hindu-majority India over the security of minorities, sparking protests and counter-protests. Less than 8 per cent of Bangladesh's 170 million people are Hindu.

Many in the interim government are unhappy that India is sheltering Hasina, and a special tribunal in Bangladesh has sought her arrest. An official request to India for her extradition remains unanswered.

India, which sheltered 10 million refugees and helped Bangladesh gain independence after a nine-month war against Pakistan in 1971, considers Hasina to be a trusted friend. Hasina's father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was the independence leader of Bangladesh, then the eastern part of Pakistan, India's regional foe.

Who is Chinmoy Das?

Chinmoy Krishna Das is a prominent advocate for the rights and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh, particularly the Hindu (Sanatani) community.

He serves as the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote.

Chinmoy Das has been vocal in calling for significant reforms, including the enactment of a minority protection law, the establishment of special tribunals to expedite cases of minority persecution, and the creation of a dedicated ministry for minority affairs.

Hailing from Satkania Upazila in Chittagong, Chinmoy Das first rose to prominence through his religious oratory, earning the nickname ‘Shishu Bokta’ or ‘child orator’ at an early age.

Between 2016 and 2022, he served as the Chittagong divisional secretary of ISKCON, the Gaudiya Vaishnav organisation, before being expelled in 2024.

Since the political upheaval following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, Das has emerged as a leading voice against the escalating violence and discrimination faced by Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.