Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das pleads not guilty to murder in Bangladesh, a case highlighting religious tensions ahead of national elections
CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh opened the trial of outspoken Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on Monday over a lawyer’s murder in 2024.
The case has highlighted religious strife in the mainly Muslim country.
Das was brought before a court in the southeastern city of Chittagong, where he rejected the murder charge.
He was then escorted back to detention under heavy security as dozens of lawyers shouted “murderer”.
The case involves the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif on November 26, 2024.
Violent unrest erupted after a court had rejected Das’s bail application.
Prosecuting lawyer Md Raihanul Wazed told reporters it was “a sensitive case” touching on “communal harmony and national security”.
He said Das and 38 other defendants, all followers of the monk, were responsible for Alif’s death.
“The prosecution firmly believes that the evidence produced will prove their culpability, and that justice will prevail,” said the lawyer.
The case has emerged as a symbol of strained religious relations in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
The country has grappled with political instability since a mass uprising ended the iron-grip rule of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
Das is a spokesman for the Hindu group Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote.
The group organised several rallies after Hasina’s ouster to decry alleged attacks and discrimination against Hindu communities.
Hindus are Bangladesh’s largest religious minority, making up around 8% of the country’s approximately 170 million people.
Das was initially arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges after leading a rally in Chittagong.
He was accused of disrespecting the national flag.
His detention and the subsequent denial of bail triggered protests that spiralled into violence, culminating in Alif’s killing.
Religious relations have come under heightened scrutiny as Bangladesh prepares for its first elections since the 2024 uprising.
The elections are scheduled for March 12.
According to police figures released on Monday, about 12% of 645 incidents involving minority group members last year were classified as having a sectarian motive.
