New Delhi-based rights group — Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) – on Saturday urged the diplomatic community and the United Nations to intervene with the Bangladesh government to release Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former leader of ISKON and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, on the occasion of Janmashtami.

Chinmoy Das has been in custody since November 25, 2024, in connection with a sedition case. He was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for allegedly defaming the national flag.

Das was also arrested in connection with the murder of assistant government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif, who was hacked to death during the violent protest sparked by the Hindu leader’s arrest.

The RRAG on Saturday requested the diplomatic community and the United Nations to intervene with the Government of Bangladesh to release the Hindu Priest from prison custody on the occasion of Janmashtami.

The rights body, in a statement, said that Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Waqar Uz Zaman, Chief of the Bangladesh Navy Admiral Mohd Nazmul Hussain, and Chief of the Bangladesh Air Force Hasan Mahmud Khan attended the Janmashtami function, the birthday of Lord Krishna, on Saturday in Dhaka.

“This is a sham and a desperate attempt to beguile the international community in the light of the ongoing, relentless atrocities against the Hindus.

A total of 2,485 incidents of violence against religious and ethnic minorities were reported during the year of the reign of the caretaker government under the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus,” RRAG Director Suhas Chakma said in a statement.

He said that if the Bangladesh government is serious, Chinomoy Das at least ought to be released on bail on Saturday, the birthday of Lord Krishna.

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Das remains in prison from November 25 last year (2024) first on a private complaint of sedition for allegedly putting the flag of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) on top of Bangladesh’s national flag and thereafter, for the murder of a lawyer in court complex when Das was already in police custody and being produced in the court, RRAG Director said.

“If there was any conspiracy by Das to murder the lawyer, it was done by the Bangladeshi security forces under whose custody he was. None of the security officials of the Bangladesh government has been charged for this murder. The prosecution is opposing the bail of Chinmoy Das to send a clear message to the Hindus not to organise any political meeting but remain restricted to religious programmes like celebrating Janmashtami,” Chakma said.