More concerns have been raised on violence against minorities in Bangladesh after the arrest of Hindu priest and ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in the country.
Minorities, especially Hindus, are not only unsafe on the streets but also in jails, and the situation is becoming increasingly dire, a latest input of Indian intelligence agencies said. According to sources, agencies have warned that various JMB (Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh) cadres are fueling attacks on minorities and are also likely to target them in jails.
Since Tuesday night, various districts in Bangladesh have seen attacks on minorities primarily Hindus. Houses have been burnt by mobs and minority population has been targeted while local government failed to act.
A top-level official aware of the intelligence said that this year, JMB leaders managed to break out of jail, raising concerns for Hindus and other minorities. These cadres are likely to be involved in different attacks and incidents of vandalism.
Yudhistar Das, the Communications Chief of ISCKON in India said the organisation was “highly concerned about the personal safety of Chinmoy Krishna Das” after his bail has been denied and he has been sent to jail.
MEA’s strong remark came after Prabhu, who led multiple protests over atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, was arrested by the Dhaka Police’s Detective Branch on November 25 at Dhaka airport.
Prabhu was associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) for many years and has served as the society’s spokesperson. On several occasions, Prabhu raised his voice against the acts of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, calling out the practice of religious discrimination.
Temples have been increasingly targeted by mobs, fueled by various extremist outfits. Vandalism in Hindu temples has sharply increased in the past four weeks, according to a government official.
“In two separate incidents in August, around 700 inmates managed to escape from jail. Many of them were JMB sympathisers or leaders. After the exit of Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh, these cadres and other outfits started targeting Hindus and other minorities. It is likely that minorities, especially Hindus, could also be targeted in jails, in addition to the streets,” a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told News18.
Sources also indicated that Indian central agencies are closely monitoring developments in Bangladesh. It is expected that attacks on Hindus may increase in certain areas, as the law and order machinery in those regions has collapsed.
JMB has been involved in multiple attacks in India and abroad, including the 2002 bombing of a church in Gopalganj, bombings of the UK and US embassies in 2004, and the attack in Bodh Gaya.
Gopalganj, Maulvibazar, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Khulna, and Khagrachhari have some of the highest populations of Hindus. According to sources, these areas have already witnessed attacks on Hindu temples and local residents. One such incident occurred nearly two months ago, when a temple was targeted and vandalised in the Maulvibazar area.
