Bangladesh Court Again Denies Bail Request for Chinmoy Krishna Das

Dhaka, Dec 11 (NationPress) A court in Bangladesh on Wednesday once more denied the bail request of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu priest and representative of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, also affiliated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He has been apprehended and imprisoned by local authorities under allegations of sedition.

According to local news sources, the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md. Saiful Islam, who is currently on vacation, issued the ruling on Wednesday, explaining that the request was refused due to the absence of a lawyer's letter of attorney on behalf of Das.

The request is now set to be reviewed on January 2 of the following year, claiming that Das - a monk suffering from multiple health issues, such as diabetes and respiratory problems - is wrongfully imprisoned in a fabricated case.

It was also stated that his lawyer Subhashish Sharma could not be present for the hearing on December 3 due to security concerns.

As reported by the leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo, PP Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan, the Public Prosecutor in the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, indicated that the state had informed the court that lawyer Rabindra Ghosh, who had sought anticipatory bail for Chinmoy, did not possess any power of attorney to represent him. Additionally, Chinmoy's lawyer, Subhashish Sharma, was also absent. Subhashish had not provided any written communication to Rabindra Ghosh to represent the case. Subsequently, the court dismissed the application submitted by lawyer Rabindra Ghosh.

It was revealed that the bail hearings for two other individuals implicated in the same case were also scheduled for Wednesday but could not proceed due to the absence of legal representation.

India has consistently expressed its hope that the trial will be "fair and transparent", emphasizing that the legal rights of the detained Hindus must be upheld.

New Delhi has also called on the interim government in Dhaka to guarantee the safety and security of Hindus and all minority groups, including their right to peaceful assembly and expression, while noting that Das's arrest follows a series of attacks against Hindus and other minorities by extremist factions in Bangladesh.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated last month, "The interim government must fulfill its duty to protect all minorities. We are troubled by the rise of extremist rhetoric and the increasing occurrences of violence and provocation. These events cannot simply be regarded as media exaggerations. We once again urge Bangladesh to implement all necessary measures for the protection of minorities."

During his visit to Dhaka on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed India's apprehensions, particularly regarding the safety and welfare of minorities, in discussions with the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, and the Foreign Affairs Advisor, Touhid Hossain.

"We also addressed certain unfortunate incidents of attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties. We expect a constructive response from the Bangladesh authorities on all these matters, and we look forward to advancing our relationship in a positive, forward-looking, and constructive manner," Misri told reporters in Dhaka on December 9 following his meeting with Hossain.