Bangladesh prevents 63 Iskcon monks from crossing into India

Sixty-three Iskcon monks, all Bangladeshi nationals with valid travel documents, were prevented from crossing into India on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, according to several Bangladeshi media outlets and Iskcon Kolkata. The monks were stopped by Bangladeshi authorities at the Benapole land port, located on the Bangladesh side of the international border, for "suspicious activities." No response was received from a senior official at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata by late Sunday, despite attempts to reach them.

This incident occurred around the same time that Iskcon devotees in Kolkata participated in a global protest against reported persecution in Bangladesh. The 63 monks, from various districts in Bangladesh, arrived at the Benapole border hoping to cross into India but were stopped by immigration authorities due to "suspicious travel."

One Iskcon member, Saurabh Tapander Cheli, expressed his frustration, stating, "I came to attend a religious ceremony in India, but immigration authorities sent me back without any explanation." Another devotee shared similar feelings, saying they were turned away by immigration officials who refused to provide a clear reason for the denial.

According to the reports, Benapole Immigration check-post OC Imtiaz Md Ahsanul Quader Bhuiya explained, "We did not allow 54 Bangladeshi passengers to travel to India due to suspicions about their travel purposes." This number refers to the Iskcon monks who attempted to cross on Sunday, though the reports did not mention the 9 who were reportedly stopped on Saturday. No further details were provided on the nature of the suspicions or whether the individuals would be allowed to try traveling again.