Chinmoy Krishna Das’ arrest ‘misconstrued’, ensuring safety of religious minorities govt’s duty: Bangladesh

“It is with utter dismay and deep sense of hurt that the Government of Bangladesh notes that the arrest of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been misconstrued by certain quarters since Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das has been arrested on specific charges,” the statement, released by the country’s foreign affairs ministry, said.

Referring to a statement issued by India’s External Affairs Ministry on the seer’s arrest, Bangladesh stated: “The Government of Bangladesh maintains that such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighbouring countries.”

In the statement released earlier in the day, India expressed “deep concern” over the arrest and denial of bail to the religious leader in Bangladesh and urged the authorities “to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities” in the country.

Bangladesh said that India’s statement “completely disregards” the fact that the Bangladesh government “is determined to conclusively end the culture of impunity to the perpetrators of gross human rights violations” against its citizens. It added that the country wants to treat the religious majorities and minorities equally.

While stating that the judiciary in Bangladesh functions independently, the country said that its government does not interfere in its work. “The matter under question is at present being dealt with by the court of law,” the Bangladesh government said.