Bangladesh intelligence dept detains ISKCON leader Krishna Das Prabhu at Dhaka Airport: Reports

Bangladesh Police’s Special Intelligence Detective Branch (DB) arrested the ISKCON leader on Monday (November 25) afternoon.

Nearly two weeks after tensions erupted in Bangladesh following a social media post criticising the ISKCON temple, the interim government detained Krishna Das Prabhu at Dhaka Airport. According to multiple media reports, Krishna Das Prabhu, aka Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was detained by the Bangladeshi detective branch. Although there were no official words from the Muhammed Yunus-led government, Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor to the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, confirmed the development on the social media platform, X.

"Hindu leader and ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is reported arrested in Dhaka by Yunus Regime Police. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was charged with sedition after he led a massive rally of Hindus protesting targeted hate attacks and demanding protection from Islamists. Tallest leader of the Hindu community, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is believed to have been taken to the Detective Branch of Yunus Regime," she wrote on X.

Media reports also claimed he was barred from leaving the country.

It is learned that ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) to go to Chattogram from Dhaka. He was arrested from there, reported Daily Bangladesh.

It is worth mentioning that Hindus, who make up about 8 per cent of Bangladesh's 170 million population, have traditionally supported Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party, which has faced backlash following violent clashes between anti-quota protesters and security forces last month. In recent times, the call for a ban on ISKCON also gained momentum after a Muslim man launched a campaign against the Hindu temple group.

Who is Krishna Das Prabhu?

After  August 5, several rallies were held in the name of the Sanatana religion in the country. From that gathering, ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari gave various threatening speeches to the incumbent government. 

Even though he had been in discussion before this, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari came to discuss more from the rally in the afternoon of October 25 at the Laldighi field in Chattogram city to realize the 8-point demand.

The rally was held in the name of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoran Mancha. In the rally, Chinmoy Krishna Das made various allegations including attacks on the Hindu monasteries and temples in Bangladesh, looting, and arson. However, he is accused of destroying communal harmony in the country, according to local media.

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is one of the founders of the discussed Hindu organization ISKCON. He is also serving as the spokesperson of Sanatan Jagoran Mancha. He is known as “Chinmoy Prabhu” to Sanatan religious people. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagoran Mancha and Principal of Pundarik Dham.

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