Bangladesh SC Lawyer Demands Ban On ISKCON In Country, Cites Allegations Of Terrorism & Communal Violence

Mumbai: Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Al Mamun Russell has sent a legal notice demanding a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the prosecution of those responsible for the death of a government legal officer, Advocate Saiful Islam, reports the Dhaka tribune.

The notice, on Wednesday, issued on behalf of 10 lawyers, came as the clamour for a ban grew louder across Bangladesh. The notice was addressed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the Inspector General of Police. It calls for the immediate ban on ISKCON in Bangladesh under Section 18 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, stating that its past and current activities meet the criteria for terrorist acts.

Claims Made

The notice claims that ISKCON has been operating in Bangladesh as a radical organization, engaging in activities designed to provoke communal unrest. Citing a book by former Bangladeshi intelligence officials, it alleges that ISKCON has been promoting religious events with the intent of inciting sectarian violence, imposing its beliefs on traditional Hindu communities, and forcibly recruiting members from lower Hindu castes. It also accuses ISKCON of taking over Sanatan temples, evicting members of the Sanatan community, and carrying out communal attacks on mosques.

The notice references an incident at a mosque in Swamibagh, Dhaka, where ISKCON’s musical activities allegedly disrupted Taraweeh prayers. When objections were raised, the group reportedly sought police intervention, which escalated into clashes. Several other incidents were also cited. The notice also mentions allegations of firearms being discovered in an ISKCON temple in Sylhet in 2016 and attacks on police vehicles in Gopalganj during ISKCON processions.

The notice further alleges that after ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna was arrested for sedition on charges of disrespecting the national flag, members of the organization orchestrated the public murder of Advocate Saiful Islam, demonstrating a blatant disregard for law and order. It accuses ISKCON of destabilising the country and collaborating with Indian media to promote communal discord. It claims that ISKCON has been banned in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, as well as in the former Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s. Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, the two key coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also called for the banning of ISKCON.

Chittagong District Bar Association Announces Suspension Of All Activities

Meanwhile the Chittagong District Bar Association has announced the suspension of all activities, including a court boycott, for the second consecutive day in protest against the murder of Saiful Islam Alif. Chief Advisor to the interim Bangladesh government, Muhammad Yunus condemned the murder and reportedly ordered an investigation.

About The Lawyer's Death

The lawyer died in the clashes that errupted over the detention of the ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. Police have detained 33 people in connection with the killing, having identified six of them through video footage. The Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) also detained 21 people for vandalism and assaults on police during clashes on Tuesday. Besides, six members of the Awami League and its outlawed student wing Chhatra League were detained with crude explosives in the port city, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. A demand for the arrest of those involved in the lawyer's murder in Chittagong within 24 hours has been made by Anti-discrimination Student Movement.