Bangladesh: A few days after ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested, another Hindu priest was detained in Chittagong. The arrest occurred on Saturday (November 30, 2024). Sources have identified the arrested priest as Shyam Das Prabhu, who had reportedly visited Chinmoy Krishna Das in jail.
According to sources, Shyam Das Prabhu was arrested without any official warrant. Radha Raman Das, vice-president and spokesperson of ISKCON Kolkata also shared the news of the arrest on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Another brahmachari, Shyama Das Prabhu has been arrested by the Chittagong police today.”
Hindu Communities Protest in Bangladesh
Former ISKCON member and Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on charges of sedition on Monday (November 25, 2024) and was denied bail the following day (November 26, 2024).
After his arrest, protests erupted across Bangladesh, led by members of the Hindu community. The demonstrations took place in several locations, including the capital Dhaka and Chattogram.
46 Minorities Arrested
Following the denial of bail to ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, clashes broke out on Tuesday outside a Chattogram court between police and protesters, leading to the death of a lawyer.
Police reported today (November 30, 2024) that at least nine individuals have been arrested in connection with the murder of Assistant Public Prosecutor Saiful Islam.
Additionally, 46 people have been detained in connection with the case. Most of them belong to the minority Hindu community and are employed as sanitation workers.
Three Hindu Temples Vandalized
On Friday (November 29, 2024), three Hindu temples in Chattogram were targeted and vandalized. According to a report by BDNews24, the attacks occurred around 2:30PM in Harish Chandra Munsef Lane, a port city area. Temple authorities reported, “A group of several hundred people, shouting slogans, hurled bricks and stones at the temples, damaging the gates of the Shani Temple and the other two temples.”
Abdul Karim, the chief of Kotwali Police Station, confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants attempted to damage the temples.
Also Read: Arrest of ISKCON’s Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh Sparks Outrage Over Hindu Rights
