Mother dies, Bangladesh govt gives jailed Hindu leader just 5 hours for last rites

Five hours. That was the window granted to jailed Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on Thursday to attend his mother's funeral in Bangladesh, before returning to prison.

Das's 70-year-old mother, Sandhya Rani Dhar, died early Thursday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hathazari. Following a request from Das's family, Chattogram District Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mia ordered his release on parole for five hours, PTI reported, citing The Daily Star.

‘Following an application by his brother over the death of his mother, we have passed an order to release Chinmoy Krishna from jail on parole for five hours in accordance with the law,’ the DC was quoted as saying.

The parole was also confirmed by Swatantra Gauranga Das Brahmachari, vice-president of ISKCON's Prabartak Sri Krishna Temple.

‘The application has been approved. He will be released for five hours. He will have to travel to Hathazari, attend his mother's funeral and return within that period,’ bdnews24.com quoted Gauranga Das Brahmachari as saying.

The unusually short parole period has since triggered sharp criticism from political commentators and BJP leaders, who questioned why Das was given only five hours to say goodbye to his mother and perform her last rites.

Political commentator Tehseen Poonawalla reacted strongly to the decision, writing: ‘5 hours just 5 hours to bid farewell to his own mother. 5 hours... then marched back into a jail cell.’

Poonawalla also referred to footage of Das breaking down before Shri Krishna, saying the moment had ‘completely shattered my heart’ and describing the treatment as ‘pure, unadulterated cruelty.’

BJP leader Ravi also criticised Das's continued incarceration, alleging that his ‘only crime was raising his voice for Hindus and being a Hindu’, and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

BJP leader Vishali Poddar said Das's mother had wanted to see her son one last time but did not get that opportunity. She said Das was allowed only five hours after her death to perform the last rites and called for his release.

Why is Chinmoy Krishna Das in jail?

Das was arrested in November 2024 on sedition charges over allegations that he had disrespected Bangladesh's national flag. His arrest led to protests and heightened communal tensions in the country.

He was later named in several other criminal cases, including allegations of murder, attempted murder and vandalism. Das is facing six criminal cases in total and has secured bail from the High Court in four of them.

His release, however, has remained out of reach because proceedings in the remaining cases are continuing.

His bail in the sedition case remains stayed, while the murder case is being heard by the Chattogram Speedy Trial Tribunal.

The murder case relates to the killing of government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif, who was hacked to death in Chattogram during protests by activists opposing Das's arrest.

Das, who was earlier associated with ISKCON, is a spokesman for the Hindu Sammilito Sanatan Jagaran Jote.

For now, his mother's funeral has meant a brief departure from prison, but only for five hours, after which he is required to return to custody.