We want united Bangladesh: Hindu monk's powerful speech from prison van

Chinmoy Krishna Das also flashed a victory sign while being taken away in the prison van, even as the police cracked down on hundreds of supporters from the Hindu community protesting against his arrest outside a court.

In Short

• Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das arrested for sedition in Bangladesh
• Das urged his supporters to continue peaceful protests
• Police lathicharged members of Hindu community protesting against his arrest

Hindu leader and former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das gave a powerful message from a prison van outside a court in Dhaka, a day after he was arrested on charges of sedition in Bangladesh. "We want a united Bangladesh," Das said, flashing a victory sign before being taken away even as the police cracked down on hundreds of supporters from the Hindu community protesting against his arrest outside the court.

In a video that surfaced online, Chinmoy Krishna Das, recognised as the face of Hindu protests in Bangladesh, could be seen addressing the Hindu community as hundreds of his supporters gathered around the police van. He urged his followers not to disrupt peace in the country and asked them to continue the protests till their demands are met.

"We santanis have some responsibilities towards the nation," he said while addressing his supporters in Bengali.

"We won't do anything that will disrupt peace. Continue the protests till our demands are met, but peace should be our priority," he said. In another video that went viral, Chinmoy Krishna Das could be seen flashing a victory sign after being taken away in a prison van while hundreds of his supporters raised slogans against his arrest.

The charges against Chinmoy stem from allegations that he insulted the Bangladesh flag during a protest. Known for leading demonstrations against violence targeting minorities, he has become a symbol of resistance for the Hindu community. His arrest has sparked reactions from his supporters, who view the move as an attempt to suppress minority voices in Bangladesh.

Protests against violence on minorities intensified in Bangladesh on Monday. Visuals surfaced showing the police resorting to lathicharge members of the Hindu community as they protested against the Hindu monk's arrest in Bangladesh.

ISKCON Vice President Radha Ramn Das, while speaking to India Today TV, refuted reports suggesting that Chinmoy Krishna Das insulted the Bangladesh flag during a protest. He clarified that a flag was raised higher than that of the Bangladesh flag, which was wrongly interpreted.

He also stated that the Hindu monk was arrested while he was on his way to Chittagong from Dhaka but wasn't informed about the grounds of arrest.

Meanehile, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed serious concern over the incident. In an official statement, the ministry said, "We urge the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities. We also note with concern the attacks on minorities protesting peacefully against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das."

Arrested over the charges of sedition, Bangaldeshi Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das's bail application was rejected by the Chittagong's Metropolitan Mesgistrate Court. As the police did not seek Chinmay Das's remand, the court sent the Hindu priest to judicial custody, directing that he be granted all religious privileges during his detention.