Rights & Risks Analysis Group files complaint with UN over ISKCON leader's illegal detention in Bangladesh

The Rights & Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), on November 27 lodged a complaint with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention against the illegal and arbitrary detention of prominent Hindu religious leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari by the Interim Government of Bangladesh led by Dr. Mohammed Yunus.

Chinmoy Brahmachari was arrested at 4:30 pm on November 25 at Dhaka Airport by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on politically motivated false charges, including sedition under Section 124(a) of the Bangladesh Penal Code, hiring or conniving at hiring persons to join an unlawful assembly under Section 150, abetment under Section 109, and common intention under Section 34.

He was presented before Judge Kazi Shariful Islam of the Chittagong Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate's Court at 11 am on November 26, 2024, and was sent to jail after bail was denied.

In its complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the RRAG stated that a bare perusal of the two page complaint filed by Md Firoz Khan on 31 October shows that the entire first page of the complaint pertains to description of 19 accused persons while the  second page with one paragraph alleged that “under the instigation of the accused persons including Chinmoy Brahmachari unknown persons had put up saffron colour flags of the ISKCON over the national flags put by Anti Discrimination Students Movement at New Market Zero Point, Chittagong on October 25. 

The putting up of the saffron flag is equivalent to challenging territorial integrity of Bangladesh, and creating disturbance and enmity between the communities/groups”. The complainant, Md Firoz Khan provided no evidence whatsoever to substantiate his allegations.

“In the complaint filed by Firoz Khan, there was no allegation that Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and other accused persons were directly involved in the alleged putting up of the ISKCON flag over Bangladeshi national flag. The actual alleged offenders were not identified/named. Assuming without admitting that the ISKCON flags were indeed put up over the Bangladeshi national flags, the complainant did not place any evidence that ISKON flags were indeed placed over the Bangladeshi national flags. Most importantly, there is no evidence that those who had put up the alleged flags were even ISKCON activists, and not of any other party or individuals. Even if several flags are put on a pillar, it is natural that the flags move around  because of the winds and it can never constitute an offence of sedition.”- stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of the RRAG.
 
“The entire complaint is fictitious and an attempt to use the law to silence those who are organizing the religious minorities. Till his arrest on 25/11/2024, the police did not ask Chinmoy Brahmachari to join the investigation as required under Sections 160 and 161 of the Bangladesh Criminal Procedure Code. The Bangladesh Police did not even follow its own national laws regarding arbitrary detention of Mr Chinmoy Brahmachari.” – also added Mr Chakma. 

Making the case for arbitrary detention as per the following criteria set forth by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the RRAG stated, Chinmoy Brahmachari was arrested for exercising the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly on 25 October 2025 in the Lal Dighi ground in Chittagong city of Bangladesh seeking justice against violations of the rights of the minorities; unable to benefit from the fundamental guarantees of the right to a fair trial i.e. presumption of innocence, direct arrest without being summoned to join investigation as required for arrest, and without arresting any alleged offender who actually committed the offence, if any while Chinmoy is only an alleged conspirator and not the alleged offender;  continued detention by not giving bail even though as the actual alleged offenders have not even been identified; and Chinmoy Brahmachari has been deprived of liberty purely for reasons of discrimination on the basis of his religious belief being a Hindu minority religious leader and the most prominent face.

The RRAG urged for registration of  the petition regarding illegal and arbitrary detention of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari by the Interim Government of Bangladesh and provide an opinion regarding his illegal detention.