No relief to Hindu priest: Bangladesh court rejects petition to advance hearing of Chinmoy Krishna Das’ bail plea

Arrested Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das’ is unlikely to get any immediate relief before the new year as Bangladesh court on Wednesday rejected a petition to advance the hearing of his bail plea in a sedition case.

Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam said that the bail plea would be heard as previously fixed on January 2.

The court rejected the plea as lawyer Advocate Rabindra Ghose who filed the petition did not have the power of attorney from the monk.

“Ghose sought the advanced hearing when another lawyer informed the judge that he (Ghose) did not have any power of attorney to represent the monk. The judge then rejected the plea,” reported PTI quoting a court official said.

Das was arrested in a “false and fabricated case” while he had been suffering from diabetes, asthma and other issues, said In his plea, Goshe said in his plea.

“I will visit Chinmoy in the prison now and obtain the Vakalatnama (power of attorney),” said the lawyer admitting he did not go to the prison to obtain a signed power of attorney from Das.

The hearing was due to be held on December 3 when the court deferred the date to January 2, 2025, on a prosecution side suggestion as no lawyer appeared on his behalf.

— On November 25, Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former ISKCON leader, was arrested at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

— A court in Chattogram sent him to jail the next day while rejecting his bail.

— His arrest sparked protests, with his followers demonstrating in Dhaka and other places.

— On December 3, Bangladesh court deferred to next month a hearing on the bail petition as no lawyer appeared for him.

— India had said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.