Bangladeshi lawyer defending arrested Hindu Monk brutally attacked; condition critical
Bangladesh violence: A Bangladeshi lawyer, advocate Ramen Roy, who represented arrested Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was allegedly attacked at his residence in what has been alleged as a targeted assault by Islamist groups. The lawyer is currently in critical condition, battling for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The attack comes amid a backdrop of escalating anti-Hindu violence following the monk’s arrest on sedition charges. Vice president and spokesperson for Iskcon India Radharamn Das condemned the incident calling it a "direct consequence" of Roy’s defense of the monk. In a statement on social media, Das urged people to pray for the lawyer’s recovery.
"This assault highlights the growing perils faced by those standing up for the rights of Bangladesh's religious minorities," Das said during an interview with a Bengali news outlet.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, formerly associated with Iskcon but expelled from the organisation, was arrested on November 25 at Dhaka airport. He faces charges of sedition for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally in October. Das had recently become a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanmilito Sanatani Jagoron Jot, an organisation advocating for Hindu rights in the country.
His detention has ignited significant unrest in cities like Dhaka and Chittagong, with protests escalating into violent clashes between his supporters and law enforcement. In Chittagong, a Muslim lawyer was killed during demonstrations outside a courthouse, prompting the authorities to arrest at least 33 persons linked to the unrest.
Notably, following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, anti-Hindu violence has surged since then, with over 200 reported attacks against the minority group, which constitutes approximately 8% of the nation’s 170 million population.
The international community and human rights organisations are now calling for urgent measures to protect defenders of religious freedom and ensure accountability for the rising violence.
- With inputs from agencies
