The targeting of Chinmoy Krishna Das: a case that demands international scrutiny

Melbourne, 5 May 2025 — In a stunning and troubling escalation of legal persecution, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, former ISKCON leader and spokesperson of Sammilita Sanatani Jote, has been shown arrested in the high-profile murder case of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif, who was fatally hacked outside Chattogram court on 7 November 2024. 

The fact that Chinmoy Krishna Das was in police custody at the time of Alif’s murder raises a fundamental question: on what grounds is he now being implicated in the crime? The convergence of these events casts serious doubt on the integrity of the legal process and suggests a troubling pattern of misuse of state power.

The order was passed today by Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin, following an application from the investigation officer. Due to security concerns, the court hearing was held virtually. According to Assistant Public Prosecutor Advocate Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, the IO petitioned to include Chinmoy in the murder case after allegedly uncovering evidence linking him to the violence.

A brief glimmer of justice, then a swift retraction

Only days earlier, after 156 days in detention, Chinmoy Krishna Das was granted bail by a two-judge High Court bench in the sedition case. But the relief was fleeting. Within hours, Justice Md Rezaul Haque, chamber judge of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, stayed the bail order in response to an urgent government petition filed by Additional Attorneys General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek R Haque.

In a rare twist, the same chamber judge later withdrew the stay order on a suo moto basis, according to Supreme Court Advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, who is currently representing Chinmoy in his bail application. This back-and-forth underscores the disturbing tension within the state’s own legal framework—where one branch moves to uphold due process while another works to obstruct it.

Barred from legal representation: a breach of the constitution

Chinmoy was arrested on 25 November 2024 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. His arrest provoked nationwide concern and protest. Despite this, on 3 December 2024, the court deferred his bail hearing to 2 January 2025 at the request of the government and, alarmingly, in the absence of any legal representation for Chinmoy. Why? 

Because the Chattogram District Bar Association had formally barred lawyers from defending him. This was not a procedural oversight—it was a deliberate obstruction of justice. In effect, the association denied him his constitutional right to legal counsel.

This action flagrantly violated several sections of Bangladesh’s Constitution:

• Article 32: Protection of personal liberty
  
• Article 33(1): Right to be informed of the charges and consult legal counsel
  
• Article 33(5): Right to prepare and defend oneself in a timely manner
  

These are not mere formalities—they are the foundations of a just and democratic society. The violation of these rights also places Bangladesh in breach of Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which it has signed and ratified, and which guarantees the right to a fair trial.

Legal silence by fear and threat

In a BBC Bangla interview conducted in December 2024, Chattogram District Bar Association President Md Nazim Uddin acknowledged that the Bar had formally urged its members not to represent any accused individuals in the Advocate Alif murder case.

Suman Kumar Roy, a central representative of the Sammilita Sanatani Jote, went further—stating that this was not merely an informal boycott. According to him, a coordinated declaration of resistance was issued, accompanied by death threats and acts of vandalism targeting lawyers who expressed willingness to defend Chinmoy Krishna Das.

“No one was allowed to stand in court,” said Roy. “Chambers of Hindu lawyers have been vandalised. Threats were made to their lives and families.”

This sentiment was echoed by Advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, who told OTN Bangla that despite there being around 1,400 Hindu lawyers in Chattogram, none have dared to take up Chinmoy’s defence due to ongoing threats and intimidation.

Politicising the courtroom: undermining the judiciary

Even during Chinmoy’s bail hearing, the state’s legal team attempted to introduce unrelated, emotionally charged narratives—such as references to the death of Advocate Alif—despite them not being part of the sedition case. The court was forced to intervene and remind the state lawyers that such diversions have no legal bearing on the matter at hand.

Such tactics reveal an alarming trend: where the courtroom is being used not to seek justice, but to prolong detention and manipulate public sentiment. This sets a dangerous precedent and further erodes trust in the judiciary.

A turning point for Bangladesh’s legal conscience

This is not just about one individual—it is about the soul of Bangladesh’s legal system. The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das in a murder case after being denied legal defence, threatened with mob justice, and subjected to an opaque legal process is a blatant violation of democratic principles.

OTN Bangla calls upon the Government of Bangladesh, the judiciary, civil society, and the international human rights community to step forward. The government must ensure that Chinmoy Krishna Das receives a fair and transparent trial, hold accountable those who are threatening lawyers and obstructing legal defence, uphold constitutional rights over political influence, and take immediate action to restore public confidence in the judicial process.

Prodip Roy, Editor- OTN Bangla

May 5, 2025