Following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna, a prominent figure of the collective Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, and his subsequent denial of bail, clashes between Sanatan Hindus, police, and lawyers erupted over the incident. The unrest culminated in the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. Local residents are protesting across the city demanding the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
The protests began on Wednesday (November 27) around noon at the Tiger Pass area of the city. Earlier in the morning, Saiful’s second funeral prayer was held at the Chattogram Court premises and the Jamiatul Falah mosque field. Following the prayer, attendees gathered at Tiger Pass to protest. They demanded the swift arrest of the killers and maximum punishment for them.
Later in the afternoon, after the second funeral prayer, another ceremony was held in Lohagara, where Saiful Islam Alif is to be buried, according to the lawyers.
Demand to Ban ISKCON: B’Desh Int’m Coordinators’ Strong Warning
Meanwhile, a large protest rally was held at Tiger Pass, demanding the ban of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in Bangladesh. The rally was led by Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and Sarjis Alam, general secretary of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation.
Hasnat Abdullah, the coordinator, claimed that ISKCON is trying to destabilize the country under the influence of the ruling Awami League. He alleged that ISKCON has grown with state patronage over the last 16 years and is now creating unrest in Bangladesh as a terrorist organization. He further stated, “We want to make it clear: Bubu from India, Hasina from India there will be no place for you in Bangladesh. No matter how much you try to conspire from India, the people of Bangladesh will stop it.”
Sarjis Alam labeled ISKCON a “terrorist organization,” expressing shock at their actions. He said that while ordinary Sanatan Hindus are peaceful, the Awami League agents are provoking ISKCON to create instability. He pledged to resist fascist aggression collectively.
Lawyers Burn Documents at Munshi Samiti Office In Ctg Court
In another incident, there were claims from one faction of lawyers that they were assisting ISKCON members, including when they brought Chinmoy Krishna to court. Some lawyers allegedly stoked the situation by spreading provocative posts on social media, leading to the burning of documents at the Munshi Samiti office at the Chattogram Court on Wednesday.
Protesting lawyers accused the office of burning important legal papers, including bank statements, documents of the association, and member records. However, Advocate Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chattogram Lawyers Association, claimed he was unaware of the incident.
Seven Identified in Lawyer Saiful Islam Alif’s Murder
The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has identified seven individuals involved in the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif (35) by analyzing video footage from the incident. CMP spokesperson Kazi Md. Tariq Aziz confirmed that legal proceedings are underway, and once the case is filed, the suspects will be arrested for the murder. Additionally, 21 people have been arrested for attacking the police.
Attack on Lawyers Representing Chinmoy Krishna and Ongoing Threats
Meanwhile, on Tuesday afternoon, after Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was sent to prison, allegations arose that some of the lawyers defending him professionally faced office vandalism and physical attacks. Between 4:00 and 4:30 PM on Tuesday, lawyers’ chambers 5, 2, and 3 were vandalized. The lawyers who were attacked are currently facing insecurity.
Regyan Acharya, a lawyer representing Chinmoy Krishna, told by phone, “I am a lawyer, and as part of my profession, I must work impartially for any client. I was busy with legal work in the court from 10 AM to 3 PM on Tuesday. Afterward, around 3:45 PM, I went to my chamber and spoke with two clients. At that time, a group of lawyers came into my room and asked me, ‘Why are you defending ISKCON’s Chinmoy?’ They then attacked me with a chair from my room. Meanwhile, they vandalized the chamber of Lawyer Pradip Shil in chamber number 3, and also assaulted Lawyer Shushen Pal in chamber number 2. I was severely injured on my head, neck, and back. During this time, one of my clients, Rubel Pal, was asked, ‘Are you Hindu?’ When he confirmed that he was, he too was attacked.”
When asked about his future safety in his profession, Acharya responded, “During the attack, one lawyer said, ‘We want a corpse instead of someone alive.’ And when I left my chamber to go to the hospital in an injured state, another lawyer told me, ‘Next time I see you in court, you will be a corpse.’ My family and I are living in constant fear and insecurity.”
He further stated, “There were 200 to 300 lawyers in the court defending Chinmoy Krishna, many of whom were Muslim. I did not have any conflicts with anyone in court. I have not done anything wrong. I was attacked simply for carrying out my professional duties. Anyone can verify the truth of this incident by viewing the CCTV footage from the court.”
In response to inquiries about the incident, Nazim Uddin, president of the Chattogram Lawyers’ Association, said, “I don’t know anything about the attack on the lawyers’ offices in the court related to Chinmoy’s defense.”
Lawyer’s Murder: CMP Protests Reuters Report
The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has protested a report by the news agency Reuters regarding the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif at the Chattogram court.
In a statement issued on Wednesday (November 27), CMP clarified that Reuters published a report titled “One Killed in Bangladesh as Hindu Protesters Clash with Police,” which discussed the situation that arose at the court premises following the arrest and bail hearing of Sanatan Jagaran Manch leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. The report was later published by Voice of America and other media outlets.
CMP stated that the report quoted Deputy Police Commissioner of the South Division, Liaquat Ali Khan, as saying, “A Muslim lawyer defending Das was killed amid protests outside the court [in Chittagong], said police officer Liaquat Ali.”
However, CMP clarified that neither Reuters nor any journalist spoke to Deputy Police Commissioner Liaquat Ali Khan regarding the incident. At the time of the incident, he was responsible for maintaining law and order at the court premises and surrounding areas. CMP also noted that there are four constables named Liaquat in Chattogram, and none of them had given any statement.
CMP argued that presenting unverified statements as quotes from the responsible police officer violates journalistic ethics. The CMP has expressed hope that, in the future, Reuters and all media outlets will take a more responsible approach when publishing such reports.