A Bangladeshi tribunal has dropped a bombshell by charging Hindu activist Chinmoy Krishna Das alongside 38 others for the shocking assassination of advocate Saiful Islam Alif outside Chittagong court last November. This ruling intensifies scrutiny on the interim government’s handling of minority-related violence.
Judge Mohammad Jahidul Haq of the Speedy Trial Tribunal listened intently to submissions before formalizing the charges. Speaking exclusively to The Daily Star, assistant public prosecutor Rehanul Wazed Chowdhury revealed that Chinmoy faces murder and abetment charges under IPC Sections 302 and 109, while others are implicated under varied provisions.
Currently, 23 of the accused are behind bars, but 16 fugitives pose a challenge to law enforcement. To avert chaos during Chinmoy’s appearance, authorities mobilized around 900 security forces, comprising RAB operatives and military personnel, transforming the court area into a fortress.
In a dramatic courtroom moment, Chinmoy rejected all allegations and pleaded for an independent probe, as his legal team failed to show up. The murder occurred during ferocious clashes on November 26, triggered by the denial of his bail in a separate sedition matter.
Arrested in Dhaka on November 25 and remanded the next day, Chinmoy’s detention ignited massive Hindu protests nationwide. Since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and Yunus’s interim setup, reports of anti-Hindu assaults have surged, drawing sharp rebukes from New Delhi, which labels it ‘targeted oppression.’
This high-profile case not only tests Bangladesh’s judicial system but also highlights deepening religious divides, with global watchers urging swift justice to restore faith in institutions.