ISKCON priest and Bangladesh Samishta Sanatani Jagran Jot spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested by the detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on 25 November. The Hindu monk and spiritual leader was arrested on sedition charges, stemming from his actions at a rally held in Chittagong in October. A case was registered under the country’s 1860 Penal Code accusing him of insulting the flag of Bangladesh.
- Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, known as Sri Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) community, is an influential religious leader in Bangladesh. As president of Pundarik Dham, the ISKCON center in Bangladesh, he has long been a voice for those seeking religious freedom and minority protection. He previously held the post of Divisional Organizing Secretary of ISKCON in Chattogram.
- He was born in May 1985 in Kariyanagar village in Satkania upazila of Chattogram. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari gained recognition in religious circles for his skills as a children’s speaker. His spiritual journey began at an early age and by 1997, at the age of only 12, he took initiation and joined ISKCON as a celibate.
- Brahmachari’s arrest came after a high-profile rally in Chittagong on October 25, 2024. The exact motive behind the charges against Brahmachari is unclear, but reports indicate that he is accused of disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag during a protest rally. Das and 18 others have been charged with treason. Just days before his arrest, on 22 November, he had condemned acts of violence on the Hindu community at a rally in Rangpur. On 26 November, a Bangladeshi court rejected Das’s bail plea and ordered his detention.
- A few months ago, Brahmachari was relatively unknown. His rise to prominence began when violence broke out against the Hindu community and their temples in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime in August. The turmoil thrust the 39-year-old monk into the public eye as he emerged as a prominent figure advocating for the rights and safety of Hindus in the country. In a matter of months, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari has become one of the most prominent leaders of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
- In response to Brahmachari’s arrest, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed “deep concern” over the court’s decision to deny him bail. A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that the arrest came against the backdrop of widespread violence against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. The State Department reported that these attacks, including arson, looting of minority-owned properties, theft, vandalism and desecration of temples and deities, have continued unchecked. It noted that despite these attacks, religious leaders such as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari who advocate peaceful change continue to face charges, while perpetrators of violence remain unpunished.
