India on Tuesday said it was deeply concerned about Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari having been arrested and denied bail in Bangladesh.
The Ministry of External Affairs urged Dhaka to “ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression”.
Das is the spokesperson of Sammilita Sanatani Jote, an organisation that advocates for the rights of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. He was arrested in a sedition case that stemmed from a rally that the group held on October 25 in the city of Chittagaong, according to the Dhaka Tribune.
India’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Das’ arrest came after “multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”.
It added: “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. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das.”
Das was a former leader Hindu organisation International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, according to The Daily Star.
ISKCON on Monday said that reports of Das being detained were disturbing.
“It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world,” the organisation said, urging the Bangladesh government to release Das immediately.
Following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, several parts of Bangladesh reported incidents of violence against religious minorities.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 9 urged Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. Yunus, on his part, claimed that reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh had been exaggerated.