A court in the southeastern port city of Chattogram on Thursday denied bail to Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in a sedition case, reports PTI.
Das, who now serves as a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote organisation, was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25. He was later brought to Chattogram, where the court sent him to jail the following day after rejecting his initial bail petition.
The sedition charges stem from an allegation that Das desecrated the Bangladesh national flag, an accusation that sparked violent protests. The clashes following his arrest resulted in the death of a death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
During the court hearing Thursday, which lasted about 30 minutes, both the prosecution and defense presented arguments. Afterward, Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Saiful Islam denied the bail petition.
Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, Das’ lead defense lawyer, rejected the charges, calling them “baseless.” Bhattacharya, a former deputy attorney general, told reporters after the hearing that the flag in question was not the national flag and that the case should not proceed.
On the prosecution side, Public Prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan opposed bail, and the court sided with the prosecution in rejecting the application.
Security around the court complex was tight, with police conducting strict identity checks on all those entering. Lawyers and others involved in the case were allowed access only after being thoroughly screened.
Earlier in December, the court had rejected a request to expedite the bail hearing, ruling it would be held on January 2, 2025, as scheduled. The request was filed by lawyer Rabindra Ghose, who did not have power of attorney from Das, which led to the rejection.
Das was arrested after a case was filed on October 31 accusing him and 18 others of disrespecting the national flag. The charges have sparked a series of protests and violence, particularly among the Hindu community, which has been the target of a string of attacks in the wake of political turmoil in Bangladesh.
Das’ supporters have claimed that a “politically motivated lawyers’ group” has pressured legal representatives, with some fearing threats if they represent the monk.