Dhaka: In spite of facing a severe backlash from Hindus all over the world over the shocking arrest and jailing of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Bangladesh government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has reportedly ordered the country’s banks to freeze accounts of 17 people with “interests associated” with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh.
Local media in Dhaka reported Friday that the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to 17 individuals associated with Iskcon Bangladesh, including its jailed leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, for 30 days.
Reports indicated that the government directive to suspend all transactions from the accounts for one month has been sent to several banks and financial institutions in the country.
Besides Das, who was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Monday and jailed a day later, the other 16 Hindus targeted by the Bangladeshi government are Kartik Chandra De, Anik Pal, Saroj Roy, Sushanta Das, Biswa Kumar Singha, Chandidas Bala, Jaydev Karmakar, Lipi Rani Karmakar, Sudhama Gaur Das, Laxman Kanti Das, Priyatosh Das, Rupan Das, Rupan Kumar Dhar, Ashish Purohit, Jagadish Chandra Adhikari, and Sajal Das.
“BFIU’s letter said, under the powers conferred by Section 23(1)(c) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act-2012, orders to suspend for 30 days the transactions of accounts (other than accounts of import and export companies) maintained in the name of ISKCON and its related parties and entities owned by them. given At the same time, BFIU has asked to send the accounting related information of all the accounts, such as account opening form, KYC form, up-to-date transaction statement etc., within the next three working days,” reported Prothom Alo, a leading Bengali newspaper in Bangladesh.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Sanatan Jagaran Jote, has been accused of sedition by the Bangladeshi authorities for allegedly disrespecting the country’s flag by hoisting a saffron flag above it in Chittagong, last month.
As Bangladeshi Hindus in the country took to the streets, Das was produced in a Chittagong court Tuesday and sent to jail subsequently. At the same time, violence broke out in the court building, leading to the death of a 32-year-old advocate Saiful Islam Alif. Radicals in Bangladesh are now blaming supporters of Das for the lawyer’s death even though Iskcon and other Hindu organisations have made it clear that no Hindus were involved in the ruckus that took place in the court premises on the given day.
Several leaders of the interim government and others, including Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, who led the so-called ‘Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’ that eventually resulted in the fall of government headed by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August – continue to orchestrate a disinformation campaign against Hindus and the leading spiritual organisation in the country, accusing Iskcon Bangladesh of “inciting unrest” and calling for its immediate ban.
“Iskcon is acting as an agent of the Awami League, attempting to destabilise the country. This extremist organisation is behind the brutal killing of lawyer Saiful Islam,” said Hasnat Abdullah in a vicious hate speech in Chittagong on Wednesday.
On Thursday, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina strongly condemned the “tortures” inflicted on common people by the interim government in Bangladesh and called for “immediate release” of the Hindu priest.
“A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released immediately,” said Hasina.
The Bangladesh Awami League (AL) president and daughter of the ‘Father of the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also spotlighted several incidents of persecution of members of minority communities that have been reported from across 52 districts in Bangladesh since her resignation on August 5, this year.
“A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and houses of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalized looted and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities should be ensured,” she stated.
“After the killing of innumerable Awami League leaders and workers, students and members of the law and order forces, harassment is going on through assaults and arrests. I strongly condemn and protest against these anarchist activities,” Hasina added.
Earlier this week, India had highlighted that the latest incident follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh.
“Documented cases of arson, looting of minority homes and businesses, theft, vandalism, and desecration of deities and temples are deeply troubling… It is unfortunate that while the perpetrators of these incidents remain at large, charges should be pressed against a religious leader presenting legitimate demands through peaceful gatherings. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Shri Das,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated after the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das.
