In Bangladesh, police used tear gas to break up protests by Hindus who were angry about the arrest of a well-known Hindu leader named Chinmoy Krishna Das. This happened in the big cities of Dhaka and Chittagong. Many people were upset because they feel that Hindus and other minority groups are not safe in the country.
Chinmoy Krishna Das is connected to a group called the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He was arrested at Dhaka airport on Monday for several serious charges, including sedition, which means trying to go against the government. His supporters quickly gathered to protest his arrest, worrying about how Hindus and other small groups are treated in Bangladesh.
Das was taken to jail because he was accused of causing trouble at a rally in Chittagong last month, where he allegedly showed disrespect to the Bangladesh national flag. The rally became violent, and on Tuesday, the court denied him bail. As he was taken back to jail, over 2,000 of his supporters surrounded the police van, blocking it for over two hours.
Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz said the situation was chaotic. “They went on a rampage, throwing bricks at us,” he explained. To control the crowd, police had to use tear gas. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported, but one police officer was hurt.
The unrest has drawn attention from India, which expressed its serious worry for the safety of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “This incident follows many attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extreme groups in Bangladesh.” They noted that there have been many cases of violence against minority homes and temples but no one has been punished.
Minority Hindus in Bangladesh make up only about 8% of the population of 170 million, and since August 5, there have been over 200 attacks on them across more than 50 districts
