Amid Hindu protests, plea in Bangladesh court seeks ban on ISKCON
High Court tells Yunus government to take immediate measures to address situation amid concerns over safety of minorities in country
A petition was submitted to the Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday seeking a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
The demand came amid escalating violence targeting the Hindu community and intensified protests by Hindus demanding security in the Muslim-majority country.
The petition also called for imposing a state of Emergency in Chittagong and Rangpur to prevent further unrest after protests by Hindus gripped both cities.
Court questions government
The high court demanded to know the steps the government had taken regarding ISKCON, The Daily Star reported.
Justices Farah Mahbub and Debasish Roy Chowdhury reportedly passed the order after a Supreme Court lawyer, Moniruzzaman, placed two newspaper reports on ISKCON before the bench.
The high court told the government to take immediate measures to address the situation amid concerns over the safety of minorities in the country.
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Hindu leader arrested
The attorney general told the court that someone was trying to destabilise Bangladesh, where the law and order situation has seriously deteriorated since the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
The latest unrest follows the arrest of prominent Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu on November 25 at the Dhaka airport.
The monk, known for advocating the rights and security of religious minorities, has been charged with sedition and denied bail.
Hindu protests intensify
His arrest fuelled further protests erupted across Bangladesh, with the Hindu community demanding his release.
In Chittagong, the demonstrations turned violent, resulting in the death of a lawyer, allegedly at the hands of a mob, media reports said.
Watch | Hindu monk's arrest in Bangladesh sparks outrage amid cases of violence against Hindus
Prabhu had reportedly organised protests calling attention to atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina fled the country following mass protests.
ISKCON, widely known as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Hindu religious body that was founded in 1966 in New York. It has temples and branches worldwide.