The Bangladesh High Court rejected issuing a suo moto order to ban the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). This decision came after the government shared a report about ISKCON’s role in the ongoing violence across the country. The violence worsened earlier this week when Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON monk, was arrested for sedition charges.

Government pushes for ISKCON ban

The Bangladesh government had filed a writ petition to ban ISKCON, labelling it a "religious fundamentalist organization." This move followed violence sparked by the arrest of Chinmoy Das at Dhaka airport on Monday. He faces sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag during a rally in October.

In Thursday's hearing, Additional Attorney General Aneek R. Haque and Deputy Attorney General Md. Asad Uddin gave the court an update on the government’s actions. They told the court that three different cases had been filed about the killing of a Muslim lawyer during protests in Chittagong on Tuesday. The authorities also arrested 33 people who were involved in the violence.

The High Court told the government to stay alert and make sure the law is followed. It also asked the government to protect people's lives and property.

ISKCON distances itself from Chinmoy Das

In a surprising move, ISKCON Bangladesh announced that it no longer supported Chinmoy Krishna Das. "Chinmoy Krishna Das is not the spokesperson of ISKCON Bangladesh, and thus his remarks are solely personal," said Charu Chandra Das, ISKCON Bangladesh’s general secretary.

The organisation clarified its stance in an official statement, stating that Chinmoy Das represents a different group called "Bangladesh Sanmilito Sanatani Jagoron Jot," an umbrella body advocating for Hindu rights in the country.

At the same time, the Sanatan Sanstha said they would ask for Chinmoy Das's bail on December 1 at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court. If the court denies the request, they plan to take the case to the High Court.

Rising anti-hindu violence

Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has been rising, with over 200 attacks reported since August 5. This violence began after big protests against the government, which resulted in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina being removed from office. The Hindu community, which is about 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million people, has been facing more violence and hostility.