Bail denial to Chinmoy Das: Rights Body dubs it an attempt to silence minority voice in Bangladesh
The denial of bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, ISKON leader by the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam on Thursday after hearing arguments from both sides for around 30 minutes is nothing but an attempt to silence the Hindu minorities to not press for their democratic rights, said Suhas Chakma, the Director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG).
In a press statement, Sushas Chakma said, “The main crime of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoron Moncho and the principal of Pundarik Dham is organising peaceful protest by the Hindu minorities on 25 October 2024 in the historic Lal Dighi ground in Chittagong seeking justice against violations of the rights of the minorities in the country. Bangladesh is unable to accept that the Hindu minorities will protest to seek their rights. There is no other reason to arrest and detain in a perverse case of sedition”.
| Also Read : ISKCON Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Denied Bail Amid Calls for Fair Trial in Bangladesh |
On 31 October 2024, one Md Firoz Khan, former General Secretary of Mohora ward of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, filed a private complaint with Kotwali Police Station, Chittagong, accusing Chinmoy Das Brahmachari and 18 others of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag in Chattogram's New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community on October 25.
A bare perusal of the two page complaint (written in Bengali) filed by Md Firoz Khan shows that the entire first page of the complaint pertains to description of the accused.
The second page which contains half a page text alleged that “under the instigation of the accused persons, at New Market Zero Point, Chittagong, unknown persons had put up saffron colour flags of the ISKCON over the national flags put by Anti Discrimination Students Movement. The putting up of the saffron flag is equivalent to challenging territorial integrity of Bangladesh, and creating disturbance and enmity between the communities/groups”. The complainant Md Firoz Khan provided no evidence whatsoever to substantiate his allegations.
Based on this false and fictitious complaint, the Bangladesh Police registered First Information Report (FIR) under Section 124(a) of the Bangladesh Penal Code relating to sedition punishable with imprisonment for life, Section 150 relating to hiring, or conniving at hiring, of persons to join unlawful assembly, Section 109 punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment and Section 34 relating to common intention.
On 25 November 2024, Chinmoy Das Brahmachari was arrested from the Dhaka Airport at 4.30 pm by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
In the complaint filed by Firoz Khan, there was no allegation that Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and other accused were directly involved in the alleged putting up of the ISKCON flag over Bangladeshi national flag. The actual alleged offenders were not identified/named.
Most importantly, there is no evidence that those who had put up the alleged flags were even ISKCON activists, and not of any other party or individuals. Even if several flags are put on a pillar, it is natural that the flags move around because of the winds and it can never constitute an offence of sedition.
“This is a case for effective interventions by all the countries which believe in the rule of law and the RRAG shall take up the issue with the United Nations, United States, United Kingdom and all other countries which believe in the rule of law.” Chakma asserted.
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