Bangladesh: Iskcon called a radical organisation, plea seeks its ban

The Bangladeshi government on Wednesday called Iskcon or the International Society for Krishna Consciousness a "religious fundamentalist organisation" in response to a writ petition filed in the High Court demanding a ban on the outfit. The development comes amid widespread protests across Bangladesh over the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and the targeting of Iskcon and other Hindu temples by radical Islamic outfits.

On Wednesday, a lawyer filed a petition seeking a ban on Iskcon. The lawyer also brought to the court's attention the death of assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam during clashes between security personnel and followers of the Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das after he was denied bail.

During the hearing, the court sought to know from the Attorney General about Iskcon and how it was established in Bangladesh.

In response, the Attorney General, Md Asaduzzaman, said the outfit was not a political party. "It is a religious fundamentalist organisation. The government is already scrutinising them," the Attorney General said.

The High Court directed the Attorney General to report the government's position on Iskcon and the country's overall law and order situation by Thursday morning. The court asked the government to prevent the deterioration of the law and order situation.

Reacting to the petition, Iskcon vice president Radha Raman Das urged world leaders to speak on the issue and hoped that the situation would get better following Donald Trump's inauguration as US President on January 20. The Iskcon leader also expressed shock at being called a radical organisation by the Attorney General.

Chinmoy Das, who was previously a member of Iskcon, was arrested earlier this week for allegedly disrespecting the national flag during a rally of the Hindu community. His arrest triggered vociferous protests from the Hindu community, which has faced over 200 attacks since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5.

The arrest of Das, the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, also prompted a reaction from India, which called it deeply concerning. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh," the MEA stated.