Bangladesh court denies bail to arrested Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das

The Chattogram court on Thursday rejected Das' bail petition after hearing the two sides for 30 minutes.

Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Apurba Bhattacharya and 10 others represented Das, who was arrested from the Dhaka airport while he was leaving the country in November last year, in the court.

Das' lawyer Rabindra Ghosh, who was admitted to Kolkata's SSKM Hospital on Tuesday evening, said the advocates will move the higher court.

"We will move a higher court," Ghosh told The Indian Express.

In Bangladesh, recent attacks against the minority communities, particularly Hindus, took place following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

The violence has resulted in numerous incidents of looting, arson, and murder, with reports suggesting that over 88 attacks have taken place, primarily targeting Hindus.

The situation escalated when Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested by Dhaka police for allegedly disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag at a rally in October.

The arrest has sparked outrage across India and among Hindu leaders worldwide, with many criticizing the move as "unfortunate" and "cowardly".

Following Das' arrest, two other monks were reportedly arrested in India's neighbouring country.