Anti-ISKCON leader met with an accident in Bangladesh, and narrowly escaped death.

Two days ago in Bangladesh, Hindu religious leader and ISKCON Mahant Chinmay Krishna Das was arrested from Dhaka, and then on Tuesday the Chittagong court rejected his bail plea and sent him to jail. Since then, the situation in Bangladesh has worsened. Sarjish Alam, who led the anti-ISKCON mob, and his associate Hasnat Abdullah narrowly escaped a road accident while returning from Chittagong. Their car was hit by a truck, luckily both of them did not get hurt. The police have seized the truck and started an investigation. However, many controversial claims are coming to the fore regarding this incident. Meanwhile, legal action against ISKCON has also intensified.

Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Al Mamun Russell on Wednesday sent a legal notice demanding a ban on ISKCON and action against those responsible for the murder of Advocate Saiful Islam. The notice alleges that ISKCON is involved in activities such as inciting communal unrest in Bangladesh, occupying Sanatan temples, and imposing its religious views on the Hindu community.

These allegations were made in the notice.

In the notice sent by the lawyer, ISKCON supporters have been accused of being behind the murder of Advocate Saifullah Islam in Bangladesh. The notice claimed that the activities of ISKCON fall under the category of terrorist activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 of Bangladesh. Apart from this, an attack on the employees of the Prabartak Sangh of Chittagong in 2021 has also been alleged. 12 people were injured in this attack at that time. The notice claims that weapons were found in an ISKCON temple in Sylhet.

Violence and growing repression against ISKCON

Violence and repression against ISKCON is constantly increasing in Bangladesh. Chinmay Krishna Das, one of the prominent leaders of ISKCON, is being prosecuted on charges of treason. Apart from this, attacks on ISKCON temples and followers by violent mobs have increased.

ICC's double standards

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan visited Bangladesh and praised the Bangladesh government on the Rohingya issue, but during this time, ICC's silence on the violence against minorities, especially Hindus and ISKCON, in Bangladesh has exposed ICC's double standards. While the ICC shows strictness on countries like Russia and Israel, it seems to be avoiding raising questions on the violence happening in Bangladesh.

What options does India have?

India can use its influence to stop violence against minorities and suppression of ISKCON in Bangladesh, which can break the back of Bangladesh. India is a major supplier of essential commodities (onion, grain, sugar) to Bangladesh. Their supply can be stopped. The increasing violence and legal action against ISKCON and the Hindu community in Bangladesh is a matter of concern for India and the international community.