US Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy has expressed grave concern over the recent unrest in Bangladesh following the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.
In an official statement, they urged the Bangladeshi government to uphold human rights, guarantee legal protections, and end the wave of violence targeting Hindus and other minority groups.
He said, “The ongoing violence against Hindus and others in Bangladesh is unacceptable and must end immediately. I strongly urge the Bangladesh government to take decisive steps to peacefully de-escalate tensions.”
The Illinois congressman highlighted the need for Bangladesh to protect peaceful protests and ensure that arrested individuals receive proper legal representation.
“The Government of Bangladesh must uphold and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the rights to peaceful protest and appropriate legal representation,” he said. He said such measures are important to reduce the current tension.
The unrest stems from sedition charges filed against Chinmoy Krishna Das for allegedly hoisting the saffron flag over the national flag of Bangladesh in Chittagong on October 25. His arrest on 25 November sparked protests, resulting in violent clashes between his followers and law enforcement outside the Chattogram Court. building on 27 November, resulting in the death of a lawyer.
The situation has worsened following additional arrests.
According to ISKCON Kolkata, two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, were detained after meeting Chinmoy Krishna Das on November 29. Radha Raman, vice president of the organization, also claimed that rioters vandalized the ISKCON center in Bangladesh during the unrest.
Adding to the controversy, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council condemned the “false and disturbing case” against 70 minority lawyers and two journalists accused of fabricated crimes, including vandalism and bombings. The Council has called for the immediate withdrawal of these charges, saying they were imposed to obstruct the treason case against Chinmoy Krishna Das and suppress related news coverage.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also expressed concern over the increasing violence and extremist rhetoric in Bangladesh and stressed that it has consistently raised the issue of targeted attacks on minorities with Dhaka.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
