Call for Justice: ISKCON Urges Bangladesh to Ensure Lawyer Safety

ISKCON Kolkata has appealed to Bangladesh government to ensure safety of lawyers willing to represent Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das after his advocate was attacked. Allegedly targeted by Islamists for defending Das, the attacks raise concerns over justice delivery for minority community amid falling Hindu population in Bangladesh.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kolkata has urgently called on the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of lawyers willing to represent Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in an ongoing legal battle. The appeal follows a brutal attack on lawyer Ramen Roy, who was defending Das in a sedition case in Bangladesh.

According to Radharamn Das, ISKCON Kolkata's spokesperson, Ramen Roy was attacked at his home by a group of Islamists. Consequently, the court deferred a hearing on Das's bail petition, as no lawyer dared to appear on his behalf due to fears of similar attacks. Advocates for Das's defense have faced threats and actual violence, raising serious human rights concerns.

Das has criticized the Bangladesh government's failure to protect defense counsel in the case, stating that it undermines principles of free and fair justice. The situation reflects broader challenges faced by Bangladesh's dwindling Hindu minority, which has decreased from 22% of the population in 1971 to around 8% today, amid socio-political marginalization and violence.

(With inputs from agencies.)