Bangladesh grants Chinmoy Krishna Das parole for mother's funeral

Dhaka,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2026 16:04 IST

Bangladesh authorities on Thursday granted jailed Hindu rights leader Chinmoy Krishna Das five hours' parole to attend his mother's funeral, according to local media reports. The decision came after his family sought his temporary release following the death of his mother, Sandhya Rani Dhar, who died early on Thursday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hathazari.

Das, a Hindu monk arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the national flag, has remained in jail amid multiple cases against him. He is facing six criminal cases in total, and although the High Court has granted him bail in four of them, he is not due for release because other cases are still pending.

Chattogram District Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia ordered Das's release on Thursday afternoon after receiving the family's application, The Daily Star reported. "Following an application by his brother over the death of his mother, we have passed an order to release Chinmoy Krishna from jail on parole for five hours in accordance with the law," the newspaper quoted Zahidul Islam Mia as saying.

Swatantra Gauranga Das Brahmachari, vice-president of ISKCON's Prabartak Sri Krishna Temple, also confirmed the decision, bdnews24.com reported. "The application has been approved. He will be released for five hours. He will have to travel to Hathazari, attend his mother's funeral and return within that period," the portal quoted Gauranga Das Brahmachari as saying.

After his arrest, Das was booked in several additional cases, including charges of murder, attempted murder and vandalism. His bail in the sedition case remains stayed, while the trial in the murder case is under way at the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal. The murder case is linked to an incident in which government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death in Chattogram by activists protesting Das's arrest.

Das was previously associated with ISKCON and is now a spokesman for Hindu Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote. The group organised several rallies in Bangladesh in 2024, seeking minority rights, safety and protection from civil unrest after the ouster of Hasina in a violent student-led street protest. For now, Das's parole is limited to five hours for his mother's funeral, while the other cases against him continue in court.

With PTI Inputs

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