ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson urges monks, followers in Bangladesh to 'practice faith discreetly'

Devotees and members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) hold posters during a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Mumbai on December 2, 2024, amid the unrest in Bangladesh after the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari. (Pic/AFP)

ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das on Tuesday urged monks and followers from Bangladesh to refrain from publicly displaying their faith, including wearing saffron robes and 'tilak', reported news agency PTI.

Radharamn Das advised ISKCON's monks and followers in Bangladesh to practice their faith discreetly. This recommendation comes amid rising safety concerns following a series of targeted attacks against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

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The call for discretion arises from an uptick in violence against the Hindu community, particularly after the recent political upheaval in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. This change has heightened fears among devotees and their families regarding their safety.

Das highlighted the alarming situation in Bangladesh, stating that many monks and devotees have been reaching out in distress.

"The situation in Bangladesh is alarming. The monks and devotees, who have been calling us, we have told them to hide their identity as ISKCON followers or monks publicly. We have asked them to practice their faith discreetly inside homes or inside the temples. We have advised them to dress in a manner that does not draw attention," Das told PTI.

He emphasised that the measure was temporary and aimed solely at ensuring their safety, stated PTI.

"This is not any advisory or generic guideline but my personal suggestion to monks and devotees who have been calling us frantically over the last few days," Das, who is also ISKCON Kolkata vice-president clarified.

"Many of our devotees and their families are facing threats and intimidation," Das added, citing incidents of temple vandalism and disruptions during religious gatherings.

Chinmoy Krishna, a spokesperson for Bangladesh's Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday while traveling to Chattogram to attend a rally.

He was denied bail and sent to jail on Tuesday by a court in the neighbouring country, stated PTI.

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Historically, Hindus constituted about a substantial 22 per cent of Bangladesh's population during the 1971 Liberation War, but their numbers have dwindled significantly over the decades.

Today, the Hindu minority is estimated to make up around 8 per cent of the total population, a decline attributed to socio-political marginalisation, exodus and sporadic violence over the years.

(With inputs from PTI)