‘Broke down in jail’: Inside Chinmoy Krishna Das’s legal battle in Bangladesh

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.