Bangladesh freezes 17 ISKCON members’ bank accounts following arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das

ISKCON affiliates’ bank accounts frozen amid Bangladesh tensions

Bangladesh authorities have frozen the bank accounts of 17 individuals associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) following the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges.

The accounts will remain frozen for 30 days, as announced on Friday by local media reports.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sent these directives to different banks and financial institutions on Thursday, suspending all types of transactions related to these accounts for a month, newspaper Prothom Alo said.

The freeze comes after the Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on ISKCON activities in the country, following a violent clash between supporters of Das and security forces that led to the killing of a lawyer.

Das was arrested earlier this week at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on allegations of disrespecting the national flag during a rally in Chattogram.

The case was filed on October 30, accusing him and 18 others of sedition. On Tuesday, Das was denied bail and sent to jail, sparking protests from his supporters.

The Hindu monk’s arrest has drawn international attention. India expressed concern over his detention and the denial of bail, urging Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities. The former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, also called for Das’ release and condemned the killing of the lawyer during the protests.

Meanwhile, the High Court noted that it would not intervene in the matter at this time, trusting that the government would handle the situation with caution to maintain public order.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.

The post Bangladesh freezes 17 ISKCON members’ bank accounts following arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das appeared first on PGurus.