“We are deeply concerned about situation of our devotees in Bangladesh”: ISKCON Raises Concerns Over Safety

ISKCON Bhubaneswar Vice President Tukaram Das expressed deep concern for the safety of minorities and ISKCON devotees in Bangladesh during a prayer meeting held on Sunday. He stated, “Today, we organized a prayer meeting. The ISKCON Governing Body Commission has instructed our centers worldwide to hold such prayer meetings. We will recite prayers for the peace and prosperity of the world. We are deeply concerned about the situation of our devotees and other minorities in Bangladesh,” as reported by ANI.

Tukaram Das urged global governments to engage with the Bangladeshi authorities to resolve the ongoing issues peacefully. He highlighted the extensive presence of ISKCON in Odisha, mentioning that the organization has over 100 centers across the state, all of which conducted prayer sessions in solidarity.

The concerns come in the wake of allegations from ISKCON Kolkata that Bangladeshi authorities arrested two monks, Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari, along with Chinmoy Krishna Das, the organization’s secretary. This incident has sparked protests and gatherings among ISKCON devotees, including a demonstration at the Hare Krishna Temple in Bhadaj, Gujarat, where Shyam Charan Das stated, “Given the incidents against Hindus and ISKCON devotees in Bangladesh, we have gathered here today at the Hare Krishna Temple in Bhadaj to express our solidarity. We urge the Bangladeshi government to allow Sanatan devotees the freedom to practice their religion.”

ISKCON’s teachings of peace, compassion, and love

ISKCON’s teachings of peace, compassion, and love were emphasized during the gathering, with participants engaging in Harinam Sankirtan. Shyam Charan Das called for the Indian central government to intervene, asserting that Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh must be protected.

On Saturday, Radha Raman, Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, detailed the circumstances surrounding the arrests, stating that the monks were detained by police while returning home after visiting Chinmoy Krishna Das, who had been arrested on sedition charges on November 25. “On November 29, while Adipurush Shyam Das and Ranganath Das Brahmachari were returning after meeting Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu, they were arrested by the police. We have also received information that Chinmoy Krishna Das’s secretary has been detained as well,” he said in a self-recorded video.

The situation has drawn attention from the Indian government, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressing concern over the rise of “extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence, and provocation” in Bangladesh. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has consistently raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with the Bangladeshi government. He urged the interim government of Bangladesh to ensure the protection of minorities, saying, “We are deeply concerned about the surge in extremist rhetoric, the increasing incidents of violence, and provocation. These developments cannot simply be dismissed as media exaggerations. We once again urge Bangladesh to take all necessary steps to protect minorities and safeguard their interests.”