The Daily Star of Bangladesh reported that on Wednesday, bail was granted by a Bangladesh court to former ISKCON leader, Chinmoy Krishna Das, in a sedition case against him.  Das was arrested after a controversy where he was accused of sedition with 18 others in Chittagong on October 30 last year. However, the Appellate Division Chamber Court has suspended the High Court's bail order. 

Justice Md Rezaul Haque, the Chamber Judge of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division, passed the order after hearing the state's application on the evening of 30 April.

Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rouf, lawyer Aneek R Haque, and Deputy Attorney General Fariduddin Khan represented the state during the hearing.

Deputy Attorney General Fariduddin Khan later spoke to the media. He said the chamber judge suspended Chinmoy's bail until the Appellate Division hears the leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court’s decision.

Earlier that day, the High Court bench of Justice Ataur Rahman Khan and Justice Ali Reza granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Sedition charges were slapped during a rally held on October 25, when participants allegedly hoisted a saffron flag above the Bangladesh national flag at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram. 

On Tuesday, the authorities presented him before the Chittagong court. The court rejected his plea for bail and sent him to custody. 

His arrest triggered a massive public backlash, and many demanded his immediate release. 

Who is Chinmoy Krishna Das?

Das is the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, which protects the rights and safety of minorities in Bangladesh. 

He has been advocating for the Hindu (Sanatani) community in Bangladesh. He suggested several reforms, which included implementing a minority protection law, establishing a special tribunal for fast-tracking cases of minority persecution, and creating a ministry for minority affairs. 

On the national stage, Das gained widespread recognition for leading large public rallies, like the ones in Chittagong on October 25 and November 22 in Rangpur. Both rallies triggered massive social and political discussions across the country. 

He hails from the Satkania Upazila of Chittagong. He served as the Chittagong divisional secretary of ISKCON from 2016-2022.

He became popular at a young age for his religious speeches and earned himself the nickname ‘Shishu Bokta’, which means ‘child orator’, Bangladeshi media reported.