Bangladesh High Court Rejects Bail for Hindu Monk in Murder Case

Bangladesh's High Court on May 10, 2026, rejected the bail application of Hindu monk Brahmachari Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is facing trial in a lower court over the 2024 killing of junior government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram. The court cited ongoing witness testimony in the trial as the reason for the decision.

Das, a former ISKCON leader and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested in November 2024 at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on sedition charges for allegedly insulting the national flag. After being denied bail in Chattogram, protests broke out and turned violent, culminating in Alif's death. The Chattogram Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal indicted Das and 38 others in January 2025.

Prosecutors have named 39 individuals in the murder case, with 23, including Das, in custody and 16 still absconding. Das's lawyer, Apurba Kumar Bhattacharya, stated the High Court bench set May 11 for hearing bail pleas in four other cases against the monk. The Supreme Court had previously stayed a High Court order granting Das bail in the sedition case.

The case has drawn diplomatic attention, with India expressing concern over Das's detention, affecting bilateral relations. Hindus constitute approximately 8% of Bangladesh's population of 170 million, according to 2022 data.

The Chattogram court is expected to continue hearing witness testimonies, while the High Court will review the remaining bail petitions on May 11.