Bangladesh freezes 17 bank accounts linked to ISKCON amid rising attacks on Hindus
Bangladesh witnesses rising attacks on Hindus Photograph:( Agencies )
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The move comes in response to violent protests that erupted after the detention of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been accused by the authorities of killing an advocate. ISKCON Bangladesh has vehemently denied these claims, dubbed as baseless and fabricated by the group.
The move comes in response to violent protests that erupted after the detention of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, who has been accused by the authorities of killing an advocate. ISKCON Bangladesh has vehemently denied these claims, dubbed as baseless and fabricated by the group.
Bangladesh authorities Saturday (Nov 30) ordered freezing of at least 17 bank accounts related to Hindu spiritual organisation International Society for Krishna Consciousness, known as ISKCON. The development comes days after the arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) issued directives to several banks regarding the freezing of the accounts for 30 days, reported news agency PTI. The BFIU has also ordered banks to provide information, including updated transaction statements of all the accounts, within the next three working days.
The move comes in response to violent protests that erupted after the detention of the ISKCON monk, who has been accused by the authorities of killing an advocate. ISKCON Bangladesh has vehemently denied these claims, dubbed as baseless and fabricated by the group.
Subsequently, a plea was filed in the Bangladesh High Court to impose a ban on the Hindu group but was rejected.
Bangladesh’s unelected interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, argued in the court that the ISKCON was a fundamentalist organisation.
It is to be noted that Chinmoy was detained by Bangladesh police on November 25 on stringent sedition charges, backed by claims that he disrespected the Bangladeshi flag while demanding safety for Hindus. An FIR was also filed against him and 18 others.
India has taken note of these developments and has told Dhaka to protect its minorities, including Hindus.
"Government has taken a serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh," India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar made the statement in response to a question in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament.
Indian political leaders have been raising concerns over the arrest of the Hindu monk and rising attacks on the Hindu community in the country. On Friday, media reported that three Hindu temples in Bangladesh’s Chattogram—Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple—came under attack from a mob shouting anti-Hindu and anti-ISKCON slogans.
(With inputs from agencies)
