CA's PS Assures Safety Of Hindus, Rejects ISKCON Ban

Tension has reached its peak over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson of the Combined Sanatan Jagaran Alliance and an ISKCON organizer in Bangladesh. Amid this, the Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Shafiqul Alam reassured that "Hindus are safe in Bangladesh," adding that there is no threat to the country's minority communities. He made these remarks on Friday (November 29) during an interview with Indian news outlet CNN-News18, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Shafiqul Alam emphasized that the Bangladesh government has no plans to ban ISKCON. His statement comes at a time when demands to ban ISKCON have intensified following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case.

Despite the calls for a ban, Shafiqul Alam firmly stated, "I am unaware of the legal proceedings, but ISKCON will not be banned in Bangladesh."

Earlier, on Thursday, the Bangladesh High Court rejected a petition calling for the ban of ISKCON’s activities.

Discussing the recent violence targeting minority communities in the country, Shafiqul Alam said, "Hindus are safe in Bangladesh. There is a campaign of misinformation. I urge you to visit the ground and directly cover the events. While violence was seen in the initial days, the situation is now completely under control."

Shafiqul Alam also referred to the unrest earlier in the week, when protests erupted after Chinmoy Krishna Das was denied bail. He assured that the government would ensure fair justice for Das.

Regarding ongoing tensions in Chittagong, the Press Secretary acknowledged the situation, stating that the Chief Adviser had visited temples and taken proactive steps to address the concerns of local Hindu leaders.

When commenting on recent statements from India regarding the situation in Bangladesh, Shafiqul Alam stated that the matter is an internal issue, and he deemed it unnecessary for New Delhi to comment on it.

He further added to News18, "The Indian government should not have issued a statement on this. It is an internal matter for Bangladesh, just as we do not comment on India’s internal affairs."

On Tuesday, the Indian government expressed deep concern about the situation in Bangladesh, particularly regarding the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das and his denial of bail. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement, saying, "We have been closely following the case and are deeply concerned that Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Combined Sanatan Jagaran Alliance, has been arrested and denied bail."