Bangladesh Hindu Priest Chinmoy Das' Wait For Freedom Grows Longer As Lawyer Fails To Turn Up

Bangladeshi Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das's bail hearing has been postponed until January 2, 2025, due to his lawyer's absence and the state seeking more time.

Bangladeshi Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das's wait for freedom has been prolonged as his bail hearing was postponed on Tuesday. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote and head of the Pundarik Dham in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh, will now have to wait at least till January 2, 2025, for his hearing to take place.

On Tuesday, Chinmoy Das's lawyer did not appear on his behalf in the court of Metropolitan session's Judge Saiful Islam in Chittagong. Apart from this, the state also sought time. The court has now fixed January 2 as the date for the next hearing on his bail.

Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 27 on charges of treason in Bangladesh.

Earlier, ISKCON Kolkata claimed that a Bangladeshi lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das was attacked and seriously injured by Islamic fundamentalists. He is reportedly in the ICU. After this attack, the lawyers refused to appear during the bail hearing on Tuesday, after which the Chittagong court adjourned the hearing.

Lawyers Accused In False Cases

According to a report in Bangladeshi daily The Business Standard, Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote has alleged that around 70 Hindu lawyers have been falsely sued to prevent them from attending Chinmoy Krishna Das's bail hearing. The organisation has said that the lawyers are being sued in a case registered under the Explosives Act at Chittagong's Kotwali Police Station so that they cannot plead for Chinmoy Das.

ISKCON Kolkata Claims Lawyer Critical After Assault

On Monday, December 2, Kolkata ISKCON spokesperson Radharaman Das said in a post on X, "Please pray for advocate Ramen Roy. His only fault was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists vandalised his house and brutally attacked him, leaving him struggling to save his life in the ICU." However, several lawyers in Bangladesh have denied any such incident.