Staff Reporter :
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry adviser, Nahid Islam, has strongly criticised India’s recent statement regarding the arrest of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, calling it an act of “interference.”
In an interview with BBC Bangla on Wednesday, Nahid condemned the Indian government’s comments, accusing it of attempting to escalate the situation in Bangladesh. He further stated that India should focus on addressing issues concerning its own minority communities, rather than commenting on Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
Nahid also urged India to act responsibly and not align itself with what he described as “false propaganda” spread by the Awami League. This followed India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressing concern over Mr Das’s arrest and subsequent bail cancellation.
India had issued a statement on Tuesday, highlighting violence against the Hindu community and other minorities in Bangladesh after Mr Das’s detention. The statement cited incidents of arson, looting, vandalism of properties, and attacks on temples as direct consequences of his arrest.
It emphasised that while the perpetrators of these acts had not been held accountable, Mr Das, who had spoken out against such injustices, was facing arrest on counter-allegations.
In response, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its disappointment, labelling India’s comments as “unsubstantiated” and a misrepresentation of the facts.
The statement argued that India’s remarks distorted the events and undermined the spirit of friendship that should characterise relations between the two countries.
This diplomatic tension follows a shocking act of violence in Chattogram on Tuesday, when Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Saiful Islam, aged 35, was brutally hacked to death during clashes between law enforcement and followers of Mr Das, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. Mr Islam, originally from Chunati in Lohagara, succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack. According to Chattogram Lawyers’ Association President Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, the prosecutor was abducted from the court premises and attacked with sharp weapons by protesters.
The violence surrounding Mr Das’s arrest and the subsequent tensions have drawn significant attention both domestically and internationally, highlighting the complexity of the situation.
