A court in Bangladesh has rejected a plea to fast-track the bail hearing of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is facing charges in a sedition case.
The Chattogram Metropolitan Session Court confirmed that the hearing would proceed on its original date, set for January 2, 2025.
The request for an expedited hearing was filed by Advocate Rabindra Ghose, who sought to advance the process.
However, the court dismissed the plea after it was revealed that Ghose did not possess the necessary power of attorney to represent Das.
A court official explained that the request was rejected when it was brought to the judge’s attention that Ghose was not authorized to act on behalf of the accused.
In his petition, Ghose argued that the charges against Das were based on false allegations and highlighted the monk’s poor health, citing his struggles with diabetes, asthma, and other conditions.
Ghose, however, acknowledged that he had not yet obtained the required signed authorization from Das, promising to visit the prison to collect the Vakalatnama (power of attorney).
The hearing, originally scheduled for December 3, was delayed until January 2, 2025, after no legal representation appeared on behalf of Das.
According to an associate of the monk, Sawtantra Gauranga Das, no lawyers were willing to represent him due to concerns over threats and pressure from a “politically motivated lawyers’ group.”
Das, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested on November 25 at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The following day, a court in Chattogram denied his bail petition, citing the sedition charges against him for allegedly insulting Bangladesh’s national flag.
The monk’s arrest has sparked protests, particularly in Dhaka and Chattogram, where tensions flared and led to violent clashes.
In one such incident, a lawyer was killed, further fuelling calls for a ban on ISKCON.
The organization has distanced itself from Das, stating that he was expelled six months prior to the incident.
The case against Das, which was filed on October 31 at Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram, accuses him and 18 others of disrespecting the national flag.
The case also involves a local leader from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who was reportedly expelled from the party for undisclosed reasons.
