Dhaka: A Bangladesh court on Thursday once again denied bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu leader and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot, in connection with five criminal cases, including one related to the murder of Chattogram court lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
The Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Court, presided over by Judge Hasanul Islam, rejected the bail plea after a hearing. Das, who was brought to the court under tight security around 11:15 am, was sent back to jail following the court’s decision, Assistant Public Prosecutor Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury confirmed.
Das was represented by a legal team led by senior advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya. “We requested bail and also urged the court to ensure medical care for him in jail due to health concerns,” Bhattacharya told The Daily Star.
The five cases against Das include one for Alif’s murder, three under the Explosives Act for alleged involvement in violence and vandalism during clashes on November 26 last year, and a separate case filed by the slain lawyer’s brother, Khane Alam.
Earlier, on April 30, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court stayed a High Court order that had granted Das bail in a separate sedition case.
Das was arrested on November 25, 2024, in Dhaka and remanded to judicial custody the next day after his bail plea was rejected by a Chattogram court. A subsequent plea was also turned down on December 11.
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His arrest triggered protests across Bangladesh’s Hindu community, amid growing political instability since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has been under scrutiny for rising communal tensions and attacks on minorities.
India has strongly condemned what it calls the “systematic persecution of Hindu minorities” under the Yunus-led interim administration and urged Dhaka to ensure their safety and rights.
