Ex-ISKCON leader sent to jail

Former ISKCON leader Chandan Kumar Dhar, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, was sent to jail by a Chattogram court in a case filed on charge of disrespecting the national flag.
The court of Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Kazi Shariful Islam passed the order around 11:50am.
Advocate Swarup Kanti Nath, one of the defence lawyers, told The Daily Star, “The court sent Chinmoy Pravu to jail rejecting his bail prayer. The court also granted a division for the leader considering his social position and religious status.”
It asked the prison authorities to take steps so that Chinmoy can have his meals inside the jail as per his religious beliefs, he added.
Chinmoy, who is also the spokesperson for Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of police from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka yesterday evening.
On October 31, the case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram, accusing Chinmoy and 18 others.
Firoz Khan, the then general secretary of Mohora ward BNP, filed the case on charges of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag in Chattogram’s New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community on October 25.
Firoz, however, was expelled from the party over “anti-party” activities a day after filing the case.
According to the case statement, the incident occurred on October 25, when some youths reportedly placed a saffron-coloured flag over the Bangladesh flag on the Shadhinata Sthombho (independence pillar) at the Zero Point near the New Market intersection during a rally organised under the banner of Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.
He was produced before the court around 10:30am today amid tight security.
AAM Humayun Kabir, additional deputy commissioner (prosecution) of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), said that stringent security measures were in place to prevent any untoward incidents.
Along with police, BGB and APBn personnel were also deployed to tightened security.