NEW DELHI: Ousted former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina condemned the interim Muhammad Yunus government in the wake of unabated violent attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh that were triggered after the arrest of Iskcon priest Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Hasina said Chinmoy Krishna Das has been “unjustly arrested and must be released immediately”.
Highlighting the killing of a lawyer outside Bangladesh court, Hasina said “those involved in this murder should be found and punished quickly” as the lawyer was only doing his professional duty.
She called the people involved in the killing of the lawyer “terrorists” and urged the people of Bangladesh to “stand united against terrorism and militancy“.
“If the unconstitutionally usurped Yunus government fails to punish these terrorists, it will also face punishment for human rights violations. I appeal to the people of the country to stand united against this kind of terrorism and militancy,” she said.
In the statement that Awami League release on behalf of Hasina, she further said: “It is important to ensure the safety of common people. The current power grabbers are showing failure in all areas. A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released immediately. A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and homes of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalised and looted. Religious freedom and security of life and property must be ensured for people of all communities.”
Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh high court declined to issue a suo motu (voluntary) order to ban Iskcon in Bangladesh.
The court’s observation came after being informed that the authorities have taken necessary measures regarding the matter. Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Md Monir Uddin presented newspaper reports on Wednesday about the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) to the high court, requesting a suo motu (voluntary) order to ban the organization and impose Section 144 in Chattogram, Rangpur, and Dinajpur.
