In the sedition case surrounding the flag incident in the New Market area of the Chattogram city, various dramatic situation have unfolded at the Chattogram court regarding the bail hearing for Chinmoy Krishna Das, the spokesperson of the United Sanatan Jagaran Group. While judges held multiple sessions, the lawyers’ legal and strategic complications over the ‘Vakalatnama’ issue led the court to maintain the previously scheduled hearing for January 2 in 2025. The Chinmoy case has become the `Talk Of The Country’.
On Thursday, Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Saiful Islam issued this order. Earlier, at around 2:30 PM, Supreme Court lawyer Rabindra Ghosh submitted the ‘Vakalatnama’ at the start of the hearing proceedings. The court set a deadline for verifying the Vakalatnama and instructed the lawyer to appear in person. However, the lawyer did not appear.
Some lawyers claim that there was a clash in the court area related to Chinmoy’s case, in which one lawyer was killed. As a result, no lawyer is fighting Chinmoy’s case out of anger. Another group claims that 70 lawyers who had previously worked on Chinmoy’s case have been charged. Due to ‘security concerns,’ no lawyer is willing to represent Chinmoy locally.
It is reported that on December 11, senior lawyer Rabindra Ghosh from the Dhaka Supreme Court came to represent Chinmoy at the Chattogram court, but no local lawyer submitted the Vakalatnama, creating an obstacle for him. On Thursday, a local lawyer in Chattogram submitted the Vakalatnama to fight for Chinmoy Brahmachari, but the lawyer did not appear in court. Therefore, the court has maintained the earlier scheduled date for the hearing.
Meanwhile, Rabindra Ghosh, Chairman of the Bangladesh Minority Watch and senior Supreme Court lawyer representing Chinmoy, stated that most of the lawyers against Chinmoy in the Chattogram court are facing lawsuits. Those willing to fight for Chinmoy are also being sued, and lawyers are hesitant to submit the Vakalatnama due to security reasons. Despite submitting the Vakalatnama, he could not proceed with the hearing. A local lawyer named Sumit Acharya was contacted to submit the Vakalatnama, but he sought permission from the Bar President and General Secretary. Later, Sumit Acharya refused to submit the Vakalatnama.
Outside the court, rumors have spread that some lawyers tried to prevent Sumit Acharya from going to the court. However, no lawyer could confirm such an incident.
When asked about the spread of information, lawyer Sumit Acharya told the media, “I am a member of the Chattogram Bar Association. We are saddened by the incident involving Lawyer Alif. I must stay in Chattogram. No one pressured me to submit the Vakalatnama. I sought permission from the Bar President and General Secretary, and if the Bar approves, I would be willing to submit the Vakalatnama.”
Other lawyers from Chattogram court also denied any incidents of pressure or obstruction regarding the submission of the Vakalatnama.
Najim Uddin Chowdhury, the president of the Bar Association, said, “Rabindra Ghosh, a Supreme Court lawyer from Dhaka, applied to represent Chinmoy in the case. The court gave him three opportunities to submit the Vakalatnama of local lawyers. He contacted Sumit Acharya, who refused to submit the Vakalatnama. If no lawyer represents the case, it is their personal matter.”
When asked if the Bar Association’s permission is needed to submit a Vakalatnama, he clarified, “No permission from the Bar Association is required to submit a Vakalatnama. Any lawyer can represent a client without needing approval from the Bar.”
It is noteworthy that on October 31, a sedition case was filed in the Kotwali police station of the city against Chinmoy Krishna Das and 19 others for insulting the national flag. He was arrested on November 25 from the area near Shahjalal International Airport. On December 3, during a bail hearing, no lawyer appeared for Chinmoy, so the hearing was postponed to January 2, 2025.
Decision to Cancel Hindu Jagaran Mancha’s Protest Program
After various events surrounding the Chinmoy case in Chattogram, the Bangladesh United Sanatan Jagaran Group announced three programs in three divisions, including one in Khulna on December 13. However, the same day, two other groups, the Anti-Discrimination Movement and Hefazat-e-Islam, declared a rally in the same location, leading the Sanatan Jagaran Group to temporarily suspend their programs to maintain peace.
Suman Kumar Roy, General Secretary of Bangladesh Sanatan Party and Supreme Court lawyer, confirmed this in the evening. He stated, “We called for a rally in Khulna on December 13, but since other rallies were announced on the same day in the same location, we have postponed our planned program.”
He added, “The current government is not sincere towards the Hindu community. They are trying to create controversy by organizing counter-rallies at the same locations where Hindus are gathering. We believe this is a deliberate strategy to obstruct the freedom of expression of the Sanatan community.”
