Former Iskcon leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was granted bail in a sedition prosecution by a Bangladesh court on Wednesday, according to Bangladesh's The Daily Star.
Das was arrested following a controversy sparked by a sedition charge brought against him and 18 others in Chittagong on October 30 last year. The allegations stemmed from the October 25 rally at Chattogram's Laldighi Maidan, when a saffron flag was hoisted above Bangladesh's national flag. Das was brought before a Chittagong court on Tuesday, where his bail application was denied, and he was taken into custody. The arrest sparked considerable indignation, with many calling for his immediate release.
Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das?
Das is the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, which advocates for minorities' rights and security. He has been a strong supporter of the Hindu (Sanatani) community in Bangladesh, advocating for critical reforms such as a minority protection law, a tribunal to expedite cases of minority persecution, and the establishment of a specialized ministry of minority affairs.
He garnered national prominence for organizing big public rallies, including one in Chittagong on October 25 and another in Rangpur on November 22, which stirred significant sociopolitical debate throughout the country. Das is from the Satkania Upazila in Chittagong. From 2016 to 2022, he served as Iskcon's Chittagong Divisional Secretary. He became well-known for his religious lectures at a young age, earning the nickname 'Shishu Bokta', or 'little orator', according to Bangladeshi media.
