Minorit Watch, Dhaka: Lawyers representing Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a Hindu monk arrested in Bangladesh in November 2024 on sedition charges, have submitted a bail petition to the High Court last week, which is expected to be heard on January 20.
Das, who was arrested on November 25 by Dhaka Police after a sedition case was filed against him, had previously been denied bail by a Chattogram court on January 2. His detention followed his arrest by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Police on charges related to disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag during a rally he had addressed in October 2024.
The sedition case and Das’s arrest stemmed from his vocal protests against violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Speaking to India Today Digital before his arrest, Das stated that the sedition charges were an attempt to silence leaders fighting for minority rights under the administration of Muhammad Yunus. He had gained prominence after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, which led to widespread violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
Following his arrest, Das’s legal team sought bail through various court hearings. A Chattogram court initially rejected the bail on November 26. Despite this, his supporters remain hopeful that the High Court will grant bail in the upcoming January 20 hearing.
“We are optimistic about the outcome,” Apurba Kumar, one of his lawyers told Minority Watch.
Gauranga Das, a member of the ISKCON temple management committee in Chittagong, expressed similar optimism. “We are hopeful that the government will no longer keep him in jail,” he told Minority Watch, noting that the case was progressing positively with the involvement of both the police and legal teams. He suggested that the government might have viewed Das’s prior gatherings as a threat, contributing to his arrest.
In a related development, on January 13, a Chittagong court granted interim bail to 63 Hindu lawyers who had been implicated in a case involving the death of a Muslim lawyer during clashes linked to Das’s arrest. The lawyers were granted bail on a personal bond of 1,000 Bangladeshi takas after surrendering before the court.
Das’s legal battle continues amidst ongoing tension, and supporters are closely monitoring the progress of his bail petition, hoping for a favorable resolution.