Bangladesh High Court Rejects Bail Plea of Hindu Monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Lawyer Murder Case

Dhaka. Bangladesh's High Court has rejected the bail petition of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is in custody in the 2024 lawyer murder case. This case is still under trial in a lower court in Chittagong.

The court said, "The hearing of the case related to the murder of a lawyer in 2024 is ongoing in the lower court of Chittagong, so bail cannot be granted at this time."

Chinmoy Krishna Das was accused of sedition in 2024 and was arrested on November 25, 2024, from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

The bench comprising High Court Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher rejected the bail petition. The decision stated, "The statement of witnesses is being recorded in this case." According to the monk's lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, the court has set Monday as the date for the hearing of the monk's bail in four other cases.

In the case related to the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, charges were framed against 39 people, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, by the 'Chittagong Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal' on January 19, of whom 23 accused are in custody and 16 are absconding.

The monk Das was previously granted bail by the High Court in April 2024 in a sedition case, but the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had stayed that order.

After the return of the Sheikh Hasina government, Chinmoy Krishna Das's organization 'United Sanatan Jagaran Jot' had organized a series of protests against the attacks and discrimination against the Hindu community.

According to 2022 data, the total population of Bangladesh is 170 million. The Hindu community constitutes about eight percent of the population. India had also expressed concern over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.