Bangladesh: Jailed Hindu rights leader granted parole to attend mother's funeral

DHAKA: Bangladesh authorities on Thursday granted five-hour parole to jailed Hindu rights leader Chinmoy Krishna Das to attend his mother's funeral, local media reported.

The Hindu monk was arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the national flag, which sparked protests and communal tensions.

Chattogram District Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia ordered the Hindu leader's release on Thursday afternoon following an application from his family, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

Chinmoy’s mother, Sandhya Rani Dhar, 70, was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hathazari and died early morning on Thursday.

“Following an application by his brother over the death of his mother, we have passed an order to release Chinmoy Krishna from jail on parole for five hours in accordance with the law,” the newspaper quoted DC Zahidul Islam Mia as saying.

Swatantra Gauranga Das Brahmachari, vice-president of ISKCON's Prabartak Sri Krishna Temple, confirmed the decision, bdnews24.com news portal reported.

"The application has been approved. He will be released for five hours. He will have to travel to Hathazari, attend his mother's funeral and return within that period," the news portal reported Gauranga Das Brahmachari as saying.

Das was booked in several additional cases, including charges of murder, attempted murder and vandalism after his arrest two years ago.

He is facing six criminal cases in total and has been granted bail by the High Court in four cases till now.

However, he will not be released soon because of the other cases against him.

His bail in the sedition case remains stayed, while the trial in the murder case is under way at the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal.

The murder case concerns an incident in which a government prosecutor, Saiful Islam Alif, was hacked to death in the southeastern port city of Chattogram by activists protesting Das’s arrest.

Das, who was previously associated with ISKCON, is a spokesman for a group named Hindu Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote.

The group organised several rallies in Bangladesh, demanding minority rights, safety and protection from civil unrest in 2024 after the ouster of Hasina following a violent student-led street protest.