Bangladesh: Chinmoy Krishna Das Denied Relief as Court Rejects Three Petitions

In Bangladesh, the Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court has rejected three petitions filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Rabindra Ghosh on behalf of Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari. Chinmoy Krishna Das, the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested on sedition charges at Dhaka Airport on November 25.

The petitions requested an expedited hearing for Chinmoy’s bail plea, the submission of case documents, and other related reliefs. However, the court dismissed these petitions, citing the lack of a power of attorney (vakalatnama) from any member of the Chattogram Bar Association, according to Assistant Public Prosecutor Advocate Md. Raihanul Wazed Chowdhury, as reported by the media.

Advocate Rabindra Ghosh argued that senior lawyers have the option of impunity in such cases. "There is a High Court directive allowing senior lawyers to represent clients even without filing lawyers. The court could have accepted the petitions as I am a senior Supreme Court lawyer, aged 75," Ghosh was quoted by Business Standard (TBS), a leading local newspaper.

Ghosh further alleged that the lawyer defending Chinmoy had been framed in a case, and that another lawyer’s chamber had been vandalized. "Out of fear, they are unable to appear in court," he claimed. Additionally, Ghosh accused a group of around 40 people, some dressed in black coats, of harassing and attacking him outside the court. He expressed doubts that they were lawyers, suggesting they were outsiders targeting him for defending Chinmoy.

The hearing, which began at 11:00 am, saw tension rise when Advocate Ghosh referred to a deceased Chattogram Bar lawyer as merely “deceased” rather than “martyr.” This remark provoked protests from other lawyers in the courtroom, leading to a brief commotion, according to TBS.

India has expressed its hope for a “fair and transparent” trial, emphasizing that the legal rights of the arrested Hindus must be respected. New Delhi has repeatedly urged Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure the safety of Hindus and all minorities. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last month, “The interim government must fulfill its responsibility to protect all minorities. We are concerned about the increasing incidents of extremist rhetoric, violence, and incitement. These developments cannot be dismissed as mere media exaggeration. We again call on Bangladesh to take all necessary steps to protect minorities.”

During his visit to Dhaka on Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed concerns about the security and welfare of minorities to Bangladesh’s interim government, meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain.