The Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch arrested Sanatan Jagaran Mancha spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in the city on Monday afternoon.
Confirming the information to 抖阴精品, DMP DB chief Rezaul Karim Mallick said, 鈥榃e have arrested him with specific allegations. Chinmoy is accused in a case filed over the student-mass uprising.鈥�
He did not disclose the case details.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council in a statement expressed displeasure and worries over the arrest of Chinmoy, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, popularly known as ISKCON.聽
In the statement, unity council presidents Neem Chandra Bhowmik and Nirmal Rozario, and acting general secretary Manindra Kumar Nath said condemned the arrest, saying it would tarnish the image of Bangladesh regarding human rights and freedom of speech.
They also demanded immediate release of Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari 鈥榝or the sake of national interest鈥�.
Following Chinmoy鈥檚 arrest, protest erupted in the capital鈥檚 Shahbagh area and in Chattogram city.
Chinmoy followers gathered at the detective branch office on the capital鈥檚 Minto Road and later took to the streets at Shahbagh crossing on Monday evening.
At one point, students and people chased them away and took position at the crossing.聽
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Chattogram reported that protesters marched to Cheragi crossing in the city and held a rally, chanting slogans and demanding his release. The protest disrupted traffic from Cheragi to Andarkilla, and Jamalkhan and Nandankanon areas, causing commuters to suffer.
The Sanatan Jagaran Mancha had earlier on the day issued a press release calling for demonstrations at district and upazila levels across the country protesting at their spokesperson鈥檚 arrest.
In response, law enforcement agencies beefed up their presence around the Cheragi crossing to prevent any untoward incidents.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police additional deputy commissioner (public relations) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz said, 鈥楩ollowers of the Sanatan religion are gathering and protesting at Cheragi. Law enforcement is on high alert at the scene, and measures are being taken to ensure the situation remains under control.鈥�
Recently, two organisations, Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha and Bangladesh Sammilito Shankhyalaghu Jote鈥攎erged to form an alliance under the banner of Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote. Chinmoy Krishna Das has been made spokesperson for the newly formed coalition.