In a significant legal development, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Judge on Wednesday withdrew its earlier stay order that had blocked the bail granted by the High Court to Hindu monk and minority rights activist Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in a sedition case.
Simultaneously, the court scheduled May 4 for a full hearing on the state’s appeal to withhold the High Court’s bail order.
This marks a dramatic turn in the ongoing legal battle surrounding Chinmoy Krishna, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatan Jagran Jote—a coalition representing Hindu and minority communities.
On Wednesday, the High Court had granted bail to Chinmoy Krishna following nearly six months in detention, but the decision was swiftly stayed the same day by Chamber Judge Justice Md Rezaul Haque after a petition from state lawyers.
That stay has now been revoked, restoring the legal pathway for Chinmoy’s release pending further judicial review.
Chinmoy Krishna was arrested on November 25, 2024, at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in connection with a sedition case filed for allegedly disrespecting the national flag during a minority rights rally in Chattogram on October 25.
The case was lodged by Firoz Khan, a local BNP leader who was later expelled by the party for filing it without authorisation.
His arrest triggered protests and international scrutiny, particularly from India, where political and religious figures raised concerns about the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. Tensions flared further when lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was killed during clashes outside the Chattogram court on November 26, the day Chinmoy was initially denied bail. The violence led to a court boycott by Chattogram lawyers and several arrests related to the incident.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh, responding to India’s concern, reiterated that the matter was sub-judice and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to minority rights and rule of law.
Once a senior monk of ISKCON Bangladesh, Chinmoy Krishna was expelled from the organisation in July 2024 for internal disciplinary reasons. However, he remains a prominent voice for minority rights, particularly within the Hindu community.
With the Chamber Judge’s withdrawal of the stay order, all eyes are now on the May 4 hearing.