Former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested for allegedly insulting national flag; lower court had earlier denied bail
Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 30:
The Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday granted bail to spiritual leader and former ISKCON figure Chinmoy Krishna Das in a high-profile sedition case related to alleged disrespect towards the national flag, as reported by The Daily Star.
The bench comprising Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza issued the order, reversing a previous decision by a lower court in Chittagong, which had rejected Das’s bail plea on January 2.
Das, who also serves as the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka Airport on November 25, 2023, and has since faced charges of sedition and insulting the national flag.
His lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, confirmed that the High Court had earlier directed the government to explain within two weeks why Das should not be granted bail.
“The Bangladesh High Court has asked the government to respond to the ruling within two weeks,” Bhattacharjee said.
During the earlier hearing in Chittagong, Das’s defence team passionately argued that the leader holds the motherland in the same esteem as his own mother, and that the charges were unfounded and politically motivated.
“We mentioned to the court that the priest respects the motherland like his mother and is not a traitor,” Bhattacharjee had said at the time.
However, Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam had ruled against granting bail, following arguments presented by Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Advocate Mofizur Haque Bhuiyan. The hearing was conducted under tight security, reflecting the case’s sensitivity.
The sedition case has drawn nationwide attention in Bangladesh, sparking debate on the intersection of religious freedom, nationalism, and judicial fairness. With the High Court’s latest ruling, all eyes now turn to the next phase of legal proceedings.