A lawyer petitioned the High Court for banning the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON in a sedition case, amid countrywide protests against the murder of a Chattogram advocate, and the HC ordered a state report on this matter.
The sedition case has been filed against expelled ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, also a spokesperson for the Sammilita Sanatan Jagaran Jote, or United Sanatan Awakening Alliance, and the lawyer murder occurred Tuesday amid violent protests that followed during his court prosecution in the port city.
The High Court summoned the attorney-general to hear state opinion on the matter, initially asking for submission of a report within a day.
The lawyer lodged the petition along with a newspaper report at the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury on Wednesday.
Later, the attorney-general said he had told the court that it would not be appropriate to take any decision immediately.
"The government is seriously looking into this. Action is already being taken."
Regarding ISKCON, he told the court that the government will look into whether this organisation was registered, whether it could be banned, and what legal action could be taken against it and present it to the court.
The chief law officer sought a day for the information to be collected. The court later asked for a report by Thursday.
Chinmoy, a Hindu priest and a religious-minority leader in Bangladesh, has been advocating on behalf of the community across Bangladesh on an eight-point charter of demands.
He was arrested at Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport by Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch on Monday. He was produced in a Chattogram court in a 'sedition' case around 10:45am on Tuesday amid tight security.
The court sent Chinmoy Krishna to jail, turning down his bail appeal, and it set off violent protests by his supporters.
Following the jail order, the protesters clashed with lawyers and others in the area, leaving lawyer Saiful Islam Alif dead and some others injured.
Lawyers in Chattogram went on a two-day strike on Wednesday to protest the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. The lawyers said the court activities remained suspended since morning and the lawyers gathered on the court premises to demand immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, two Namaj E Janaja for the slain Advocate Saiful Islam Alif was held on the court premises at 10 am and at Jamiatul Falah National Mosque ground at 11:30 am respectively. Thousands of people joined the namaz-e-janaza and protested the killing. A protest rally was staged where lawyers voiced their outrage and sought justice for their slain colleague.
Land Affairs Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain, Jamaat-e-Islami Chattogram Metropolitan Ameer Shahjahan Chowdhury, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Russell Ahmed, and Talat Mahmud Rafi, joined thousands of people at the protest rally.
Later, leaders from various political parties and student coordinators described ISKCON as a "fundamentalist militant group" and demanded immediate ban on ISKCON's activities in Bangladesh. They warned of continued protests if their demands are not met.
Meanwhile, Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has arrested a number of persons as suspects in the murder of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif. Six of them were identified through the video footage. Besides, CMP also arrested 21 people for vandalism and assaults on police during clashes on Tuesday.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (PR and Media) of CMP Kazi Mohammad Tarek Aziz said, "CMP has detained at least six as suspects over the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. They were identified through video footage. The CMP has also detained 21 people for vandalism and assaults on police during clashes on Tuesday."
Students of Dhaka University (DU) on Tuesday night staged a protest demanding a ban on ISKCON over the heinous murder of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram.
The protest was organized by the 'Dhaka University Student Association of Lohagara-Satkania' at 9:30 PM at the VC square of DU.
Students of Jagannath University on Tuesday night condemned the brutal killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif and demanded an immediate ban of the Hindu nationalist organization ISKCON.
They accused the hardliner Hindu organization of threatening the country's sovereignty and engaging in extremist activities.
During a protest march that concluded with a rally at 9:30 pm, the students raised slogans such as "Ban ISKCON now," "No place for ISKCON in our Bengal," and "Break the black hands of ISKCON."
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