‘Broke down in jail’: Inside Chinmoy Krishna Das’s legal battle in Bangladesh - The Indian Express

Despite ailing and being in jail in Bangladesh for over two years, multiple bail petitions by Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das have been repeatedly turned down in the neighbouring country.

A day after the monk was granted a five-hour parole following the death of his mother, The Indian Express spoke to Das’ lawyer, Advocate Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, who shared his plight.

Speaking with The Indian Express from Dhaka, Bhattacharjee, also the former deputy attorney general of Bangladesh, said, “Every Saturday, he (Das) calls me from jail. Today too, he did. He was crying like a baby… He is broken down. He pleaded that after his mother’s death, who will take care of him? I promised him, I will take care…”

“His health condition is bad and deteriorating. He has serious liver ailments, among others. For nearly two years, he has not been getting proper treatment in jail. Everyone saw what he has become, and how much he weighed yesterday (on Friday),” he added.

On Friday, a video went viral showing Das wrapped around the Radha-Krishna idol’s feet and crying at a temple as he was being escorted back to jail.

Das’ lawyer added, “We kept on pleading for his bail on health grounds but so far, our appeal has been rejected. He was not allowed parole even during his mother’s illness. But after her death he got a five-hour parole.”

His 70-year-old mother, Sandhya Rani Dhar, passed away on September 10. Prior to her death, family appeals for his parole were repeatedly rejected by Bangladeshi authorities. Following her demise, the Chattogram District Deputy Commissioner granted Das a five-hour parole window to perform her final rites.

Bhattacharjee informed that the next hearing in the case is on September 17, when they would once again appeal for Das’ bail.

“In the murder case now, the witnesses are being reviewed. We will appeal for bail on health grounds on 17th,” he added.

Bhattacharjee said that out of the six cases slapped against him, Das has already got bail in four, which relate to arson, illegal gathering and other activities. The remaining two cases pertain to sedition and murder.

Das was the principal spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, an organisation advocating for the rights and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh. During the political upheaval in Bangladesh in August 2024, Das organised peaceful, large-scale rallies highlighting escalating atrocities, temple vandalisms, and insecurity faced by the Hindu minority.

Das was arrested on November 25, 2024, at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. He was charged with sedition, following allegations that Bangladesh’s national flag was desecrated during one of his rallies in Chattogram.

Clashes broke out after the Chattogram court rejected his bail plea in November 2024, leading to the death of a public prosecutor, Saiful Islam Alif.

In April 2025, the Dhaka High Court granted him bail in the primary sedition case, but it was later stayed by the Bangladesh Supreme Court.

In May 2025, additional cases were levied against him, including involvement in the Chattogram lawyer’s murder case.

“The murder case and some other cases were slapped against him after he got bail in the sedition case… More than legal hurdles, it’s evident there is a huge political roadblock against him. But our team is trying our best and we have faith in the judiciary,” said Bhattacharjee.

Bhattacharjee informed that a chargesheet has been filed only in the murder case, which is being heard by a Divisional Speedy Tribunal.

“This February, we appealed to the Dhaka High Court for quashing the murder case. But till now the matter is yet to be heard. It is in the cause list,” Bhattacharjee added.

Several human rights activists, Hindu groups such as ISKCON, and Indian politicians across party lines had condemned Das’ arrest in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.

On Friday, social media also flooded with pleas for his release after the emotional video of the teary eyed monk went viral.

Reacting to the video while addressing an event in Kolkata on Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said, “The tears of Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu from across the border have shaken the hearts of Sanatanis across the world. Watching those tears, I thought that if we hadn’t joined India through the struggles of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Swami Pranavananda, our situation today might have been just like Chinmoy Prabhu’s.”

Earlier on Friday, the Trinamool Congress had slammed the BJP for “maintaining silence” over the plight of the incarcerated monk.

Addressing reporters, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had said: “What are the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and the Suvendu Adhikari-led government in the state doing about this? When the BJP was in Opposition in the state, it held agitations demanding the monk’s release… And after gaining state power, has the same party now forgotten Chinmoy Das?”

Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India. ... Read More