Dhaka
At least 30 individuals were detained in Bangladesh’s Chattogram city in connection with the killing of a lawyer during clashes between police and supporters of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. The violence erupted on November 26 after Das was denied bail and sent to jail in a sedition case, police said on Wednesday.
Advocate Saiful Islam, an assistant public prosecutor, was critically injured during the clashes and later died in a hospital. Police are investigating the suspects for their alleged involvement in the lawyer’s death and attacks on law enforcement officers. The detained individuals face potential charges after initial investigations, with more arrests possible.
Das, who is linked to the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka’s airport on November 25. His followers protested, disrupting the movement of the police van carrying him, which led to the violence. At least 37 people, including 10 policemen, were wounded as police and paramilitary forces used batons and sound grenades to disperse the crowds.
Interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus condemned the killing and urged calm, stressing the importance of maintaining communal harmony. He ordered increased security in Chattogram and instructed an investigation into the incident.
Das, who was arrested on charges related to disrespecting the national flag during a Hindu rally in October, has sparked protests from Hindu organizations in Bangladesh and India.
