Followers of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) around the globe are scheduled to come together on December 1 to engage in prayer and chanting for the protection and well-being of religious minorities in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on Hindus. This initiative by ISKCON is a response to the extensive protests that have erupted in Bangladesh following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON member, on charges of sedition. He was denied bail on Tuesday.The protests, predominantly led by members of the Hindu community, have taken place in various regions of Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Chattogram.A sedition case was lodged on October 30 against 19 individuals, including Das, at the Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram, alleging that they disrespected the national flag of Bangladesh during a Hindu rally in the New Market area of Chattogram.
On Friday, a mob attacked three Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh, where protests and unrest have followed the sedition allegations against the former ISKCON member. The incident occurred around 2:30 PM on Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, targeting the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the adjacent Shoni Temple, and the Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple. Witnesses reported that a group of several hundred individuals, chanting slogans, hurled bricks at the temples, causing damage to the Shoni Temple and the gates of the other two temples. Authorities from the temples informed the news portal that the damage was limited following a confrontation between the two groups, during which both sides exchanged brickbats.India has voiced its apprehension regarding the arrest and subsequent denial of bail for a prominent leader, urging Bangladesh to guarantee the safety of Hindus and other minority groups. Recent incidents targeting Hindus have led to a diplomatic rift between the two South Asian countries.On Friday, India reiterated that the interim government of Bangladesh must uphold its duty to protect all minority communities. The nation expressed grave concern over the escalating extremist rhetoric and the rising violence directed at Hindus, which includes assaults on temples.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament that India is aware of the violence faced by minorities in Bangladesh, emphasizing that it is primarily the responsibility of Dhaka to ensure the safety and freedoms of all its citizens, including those belonging to minority groups.In a related development, Bangladesh conveyed its serious concern on Friday regarding the violent protests at its Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, urging New Delhi to guarantee the security of all its diplomatic missions within India.
