Lawyer killed amid protests over arrest of ISKCON priest in Chittagong

Conflicts in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong, following the authorities' detention of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, are reported to have resulted in the death of a lawyer on Nov 26, according to legal sources.

"Saiful Islam Alif, a lawyer, was killed in Chittagong," said Chittagong Bar Association President Nazim Uddin Chowdhury.

"In protest of the killing of our member, the Chittagong Bar Association has decided to suspend court activities on Wednesday," said Ashraf Hossain Razzak, General Secretary of the Chittagong Bar Association.

Due to rising tensions in Chittagong, law enforcement authorities across Bangladesh are on high alert. Additional forces have been deployed in the capital, Dhaka, and in Chittagong.

Thousands of people have gathered on the court grounds in Chittagong, demanding the release of Hindu priest Chinmoy Brahmachari.

After a court denied his bail request and ordered his imprisonment, supporters of Brahmachari, a member of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote group, blocked the prison van.

Police and other law enforcement agencies used sound grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Witnesses reported that Chinmoy Brahmachari was arrested after two hours of clashes.

Addressing his followers outside the Chittagong court, a minority leader said, "A case has been filed against Chinmoy on charges of sedition, accusing him of hoisting a flag on top of the Bangladesh national flag. However, the person who filed the case is no longer part of it. He has since withdrawn and disagrees with continuing the case."

The largest minority group in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), raised concerns over Chinmoy Brahmachari's arrest on Nov 26.

The group called for his immediate release by the interim government and condemned the alleged atrocities.

"We strongly condemn the arrest of Prabhu Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, who was detained at Dhaka airport on Monday afternoon," said Manindra Kumar Nath, Acting General Secretary of BHBCUC.

"As a result of this arrest, Bangladesh's international reputation regarding freedom of expression and human rights will be tarnished," Nath added.

On Oct 31, a sedition case was filed against Chinmoy Das and 18 others at the Kotwali Police Station.

Das, the former divisional organizing secretary of ISKCON in Chattogram, was accused of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag during a rally organized by ISKCON in the New Market area of Chattogram.

According to Nath, the Hindu community was being mobilized by Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari to demand "eight-point demands" for minorities.

After Chinmoy Krishna Das’s detention by Bangladeshi authorities at Dhaka airport, members of the minority community staged protests across the country, particularly in Dhaka.

India expressed deep concern over the arrest and denial of bail to Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. On Nov 26, the Ministry of External Affairs urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities in the country.

“We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. This incident follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh,” said the Ministry of External Affairs.

Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, condemned the lawyer's murder in Chittagong.

He also ordered a full legal investigation into the incident and called for calm, urging the public to refrain from inappropriate behavior.

Additionally, he directed law enforcement to increase security throughout the port city, especially in vulnerable neighborhoods.

"The Interim Government is committed to ensuring and maintaining communal harmony in Bangladesh at any cost," Yunus said.