Bangladesh Refutes Misrepresentation of Chinmoy Das’s Arrest at UN

The Government of Bangladesh has issued a statement at the United Nations opposing the misrepresentation of the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha and a former leader of ISKCON.

On Thursday, November 28 (local time), Tareq Md. Ariful Islam, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, informed the UN Forum on Minority Issues about the government’s measures to protect minorities.

In his statement, the Permanent Representative noted, “We are deeply disappointed to observe that some speakers have misinterpreted the arrest of Chinmoy Das. He was arrested based on specific charges, and the case is currently under judicial proceedings. Despite the recent brutal killing of a Muslim lawyer, our government’s prompt intervention, supported by leaders of all religious communities, has been instrumental in maintaining peace and averting further untoward incidents. Our government remains vigilant and will continue to act swiftly to preserve religious harmony and thwart any attempts to undermine the rights of minorities.”

Tareq Md. Ariful Islam elaborated on the violence that occurred following the fall of the last Awami League government, emphasizing that the unrest after August 5 in Bangladesh was rooted in political and personal motives, not communal ones. He stated that the violence primarily affected politically affiliated individuals, most of whom were Muslims, with only a few from other religious minority groups. He stressed, “There were no deliberate attacks targeting minorities. Instead, the world witnessed how, after the people's movement in July, the entire nation upheld its long-standing tradition of communal harmony and came together to protect its minorities.” He highlighted the overwhelming and unprecedented support from people of all faiths under the leadership of Professor Yunus and the interim government.

He further reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to ensuring the rights of every individual, regardless of their religious identity, stating, “Every Bangladeshi has the right to freely practice their faith or express their views. Ensuring the security of all citizens, including minorities, is a cornerstone of the interim government. This has been repeatedly demonstrated during the government’s first 100 days, with two advisors appointed from minority communities.”

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Regarding the spread of false news about minority persecution, he said, “Unfortunately, at a time when the people of Bangladesh were setting a glorious example of religious harmony, we witnessed exaggerated, baseless, and false reports about minority oppression, often driven by self-serving interests. Regrettably, such misinformation has even been observed at this forum. Many of these propagandas were dismissed by the global media. Our government is ready to welcome foreign journalists to visit Bangladesh and witness the reality on the ground.”