The government of Bangladesh labeled Iskcon as a “religious fundamentalist organization” after a writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking to ban the group. The occurrence happens as protests spread throughout Bangladesh due to the detention of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and the attack on Iskcon and other Hindu temples by extremist Islamic groups.
Chinmoy Krishna Das has risen from unknown status and organized two large gatherings to advocate for Hindu rights in Chattogram and Rangpur.
On Wednesday, a lawyer submitted a request for a prohibition on Iskcon. The lawyer also mentioned to the court about the death of assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam in clashes between security personnel and followers of the Hindu monk after he was refused bail.
In the hearing, the court inquired the Attorney General about Iskcon and its establishment in Bangladesh.
Md Asaduzzaman, the Attorney General, responded by stating that the organization was not a political party. It is a group with strong religious beliefs. The Attorney General stated that the government is already examining them closely.
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The High Court instructed the Attorney General to provide an update on the government’s stance on Iskcon and the general state of law and order in the nation by Thursday morning. The court requested the government to stop the law and order situation from getting worse.
Just a few weeks back, the Attorney General proposed eliminating the term “secular” from the Constitution due to the fact that 90% of the population adheres to Islam.
In response to the petition, Iskcon vice president Radha Raman Das called on world leaders to address the issue and expressed optimism that the situation would improve after Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President on January 20.
