Former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was granted bail yesterday by the High Court after spending 156 days in jail over a sedition case involving alleged disrespect to Bangladesh’s national flag. However, the relief was momentarily halted after Justice Md Rezaul Haque, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, issued a stay order following a petition by the state.
Source: The Daily Star | 1st May 2025 | Pic: Collected
Additional Attorneys General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf and Aneek R Haque, representing the state, moved the petition shortly after the bail decision. Later, in a significant development, the same chamber judge voluntarily lifted the stay order, paving the way for Chinmoy’s release. His lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee, confirmed the update to The Daily Star.
According to Deputy Attorney General Farid Uddin Khan, the Appellate Division chamber judge may still hear the state’s challenge to the High Court’s bail order on Sunday, with both parties present. The High Court bench, consisting of Justice Md Atoar Rahman and Justice Md Ali Reza, had granted the bail after a detailed hearing of the rule issued earlier.
During the hearing, senior lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Prabir Ranjon Halder, and Bhattacharjee argued that their client was wrongfully accused, citing a lack of specific allegations and the absence of a charge sheet. Bhattacharjee highlighted Chinmoy’s deteriorating health and pointed out that no substantive offence was detailed in the First Information Report (FIR).
The case, filed on October 31, 2024, by a former BNP leader in Chattogram, alleges that Chinmoy and 18 others disrespected the national flag during a rally. Chinmoy was arrested on November 25 and has remained in custody since, until the High Court’s recent decision.
