Protests break out after ISKCON leader’s arrest at Dhaka airport

Protests erupt in Dhaka demanding release of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested for flag insult allegations.

Protests broke out at the Bangladesh capital Dhaka hours after the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Monday (November 25, 2024) announced that Chinmoy Krishna Das, leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, had been arrested. The protesters had come to the Shahbag neighbourhood of the city, demanding release of Mr. Das, the leader of ISKCON in Bangladesh.

Mr. Das leads the Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, an important Vaishnavite monastery in Bangladesh, and is known to have a widespread following in the country. Pundarik Dham is also an important part of ISKCON in Bangladesh.

Mr. Das has been vocal about the rights of religious minorities, and has come into the spotlight for his advocacy since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5. Ever since he has held multiple rounds of dialogues with various political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to ensure communal harmony in the country.

Dhaka Police said that Mr. Das had been arrested on the basis of a complaint that was filed against him, alleging that he and a few others had insulted the national flag of Bangladesh. It was alleged by Firoz Khan, a former BNP leader from Chittagong, that Mr. Das and others had shown disrespect to the national flag of Bangladesh during a rally by the Hindu community in Chittagong on October 25. Mr. Khan was expelled from the BNP subsequently, allegedly because of anti-party activities.

The complaint also mentions 18 others, apart from Mr. Das. Earlier, the police had arrested two individuals in the case. In a press conference earlier this month, Mr. Das had appreciated the support received from political parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, in maintaining communal amity, but alleged that the interim government under Prof. Mohammad Yunus, had failed to prevent around 3,000 attacks on the minority Hindus in the country.

According to ISKCON’s social media handles, protests had also started in Chittagong, where Mr. Das, who is also known as Chandan Kumar Dhar, is based. The Daily Star has reported that Mr. Das had reached the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 3.30 pm to catch a flight to Chattagram when he was arrested by the police. “From his personal assistant, I found out that some plainclothes men, introducing themselves as members of the detective branch, picked him up from the entrance of the airport,” a report in The Daily Star said.