Bangladesh bars 54 ISKCON members from entering India amid concerns over minority rights

At the Benapole border checkpoint on Dec 1, 54 International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) members with proper travel documents attempted to enter India but were denied entry by Bangladesh's immigration authorities.

According to local media, they were denied entry by the Bangladeshi authorities on the grounds of "suspicious travel." Some even asserted that more than 70 Hindus arrived at the border crossing.

Hindu devotees from all over Bangladesh reportedly converged at the land port on the international border on Nov 30 with the intention of leaving the nation via the Benapole-Petrapole crossing.

Benapole (Bangladesh)-Petrapole (India) is an important land border crossing for India-Bangladesh, both in terms of trade and passenger movement.

"We consulted the Special Branch of Police and received instructions from the higher authorities not to permit them," said Benapole Immigration Checkpost Officer-in-Charge (OC) Imtiaz Ahsanul Quader Bhuiya.

Bhuiya said that all 54 ISKCON members were denied entry to India by Bangladeshi officials because of "suspicions regarding their travel purposes."

However, a number of the group members who had been forced to wait at the checkpoint since the night of Nov 30 said that, despite having valid passports and visas, they were being turned away on Dec 1 by the authorities without providing a clear explanation.

They claimed that they were traveling to India for religious ceremonies.

"We were going to participate in a religious ceremony in India, but immigration officials stopped us, citing the absence of government permission," Saurabh Tapandar Cheli, one of the ISKCON members, said.

In July 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly inaugurated the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Petrapole on the Indian side.

Minorities in Bangladesh, particularly Hindus, have come under heavy attack by Islamist groups since the inception of the country's interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

Earlier this week, following the arrest and denial of bail of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, who is also affiliated with ISKCON Bangladesh, India, highlighted that there have been several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' homes and business establishments, as well as theft, vandalism, and desecration of deities and temples, reported from Bangladesh.

"It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings,” reads a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das. We urge Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression," it added.

As New Delhi remains concerned about the growing extremist rhetoric and violent incidents in Bangladesh, several radicals, including Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam—leaders of the so-called 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' that contributed to the downfall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in August—are leading a disinformation campaign against Hindus and the spiritual organization ISKCON.

They accuse ISKCON of being an "agent of the Awami League" and demand its immediate ban in the country.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordered the freezing of Das' bank account and the bank accounts of 16 other Hindus connected to ISKCON in Bangladesh after he was sent to jail.

On Nov 28, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina demanded the "immediate release" of the Hindu priest and vehemently denounced the "tortures" that the interim government in Bangladesh had inflicted on the general people.

"A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested; he must be released immediately," said Hasina.

The president of the Bangladesh Awami League (AL), who is the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the "Father of the Nation," also highlighted a number of minority community persecution cases that have been reported from 52 districts in Bangladesh since she resigned on Aug 5 of this year.

"A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries, and houses of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalized, looted, and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities should be ensured," she said.

"After the killing of innumerable Awami League leaders and workers, students and members of the law and order forces, harassment is going on through assaults and arrests. I strongly condemn and protest against these anarchist activities," Hasina added.

Earlier, on Nov 26, another Hindu priest, Shyam Das Prabhu, was detained in Chattogram, Bangladesh, on sedition charges.