“Conspiracy to keep Chinmoy Krishna Das in jail year after year,” alleges lawyer Rabindra Ghosh

Rabindra Ghosh, a prominent lawyer and chairman of Bangladesh Minority Watch, has announced his commitment to defending jailed Bangladeshi Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in a Bangladesh court on January 2, 2025. Speaking to the media outside the ISKCON temple in Kolkata, Ghosh alleged that a concerted effort is underway to prolong the monk’s imprisonment, describing the situation as a “conspiracy.”

“There is a conspiracy to keep Chinmoy Krishna Das in jail year after year,” Ghosh claimed, emphasising the challenges faced by those advocating for minority rights in Bangladesh. He accused certain groups of deliberately obstructing judicial proceedings to deny the monk his rightful release.

Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while en route to Chattogram for a rally. Following the denial of bail, Das has been detained until the next court hearing.

Ghosh, a practising lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, revealed that his previous attempts to represent Das at the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court had been unsuccessful. Despite these setbacks, he expressed determination to continue the legal battle.

“The next hearing is on 2 January 2025. If I am not sick, I will appear in court to defend him. If I am unable to, I will arrange for lawyers to defend him. We will continue the fight,” he stated.

Currently undergoing medical treatment in Barrackpore, West Bengal, Ghosh asserted that the charges against Chinmoy Krishna Das were baseless. “He has been framed on false charges. This is an act of harassment not only against him but also against the legal team trying to secure justice,” he said.

During his stay in Kolkata, Ghosh visited the ISKCON temple and met with Radharamn Das, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata. He reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for the rights of minorities in Bangladesh, emphasizing that international laws and human rights are at stake.

“There have been over 6,650 incidents of atrocities against minorities since the interim government came into power. I have visited several foreign countries to highlight these issues, but international laws often go unheeded in Bangladesh,” he lamented.

The lawyer highlighted the global attention on the case, stating, “There is international outrage on the issue. Chinmoy Krishna Das has worked tirelessly for the betterment of people. Why would he be in jail? Why would a sedition case be filed against him?”

He also accused certain legal professionals of obstructing the defence team. “Those lawyers who went to court to plead for him were stopped by fellow lawyers. We have received threats, but we will not back down,” Ghosh asserted.

The arrest and detention of Chinmoy Krishna Das have drawn criticism from various quarters, with allegations of political and judicial interference. Ghosh’s statement underscores the precarious state of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh, particularly for religious minorities.

“We will continue to fight for democracy and human rights, which are in peril in Bangladesh,” he declared, vowing to pursue justice despite the challenges and threats faced by his team.