Dhaka: Hindu rights activist Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, has been formally charged in four additional cases, following a court order issued on Tuesday by Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate S M Alauddin Mahmud.
Das, already incarcerated in connection with a controversial murder charge involving Chattogram lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, appeared virtually before the court due to security concerns, local media reported.
The new charges stem from a series of violent incidents on November 26, including alleged vandalism near the court premises, attacks on law enforcement and civilians, crude bomb detonations, and obstruction of police duties.
Assistant Public Prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury stated that three of the cases were filed by the police, while one was lodged by the victim’s brother.
This latest development comes shortly after the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division stayed an earlier High Court decision granting bail to Das in a sedition case. The activist has now been in custody for over 130 days.
Condemning the fresh charges, the Awami League described the legal proceedings as a “targeted and inhumane assault” on a vocal minority rights advocate.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the party accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of weaponising the judicial system to suppress dissent and protect those involved in communal violence.
“The unjust murder charge and continued imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das follow a deliberate campaign by extremist groups, with open calls for capital punishment against him, falsely branding him as an agent of India,” the statement read.
The Awami League also alleged that Das was denied legal representation during the latest hearing, calling the situation a “clear breakdown of judicial impartiality.”
Das was first arrested on November 25, 2024, in Dhaka, and jailed the next day after a Chattogram court rejected his bail. A second bail attempt was denied on December 11.
His arrest has triggered ongoing protests by members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, who argue that his detention is politically motivated.
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The unrest reflects the broader instability in the country following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
Since then, attacks against minority communities have reportedly surged under the Yunus-led interim government.
India has expressed growing concern over the situation, repeatedly highlighting what it calls “systematic persecution” of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
