New Delhi: The bank accounts of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatani Jagran Jot and principal of Pundarik Dham, along with those of 16 members of ISKCON Bangladesh, have been frozen. The action was taken on Thursday by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), a wing of Bangladesh Bank.
A senior BFIU official confirmed the development, saying that all banks and financial institutions in the country had been directed to implement the measure.
In addition to personal accounts, the directive includes a suspension of transactions for businesses owned by the individuals whose accounts have been seized. The freeze is set for an initial period of 30 days, with provisions to extend the suspension if deemed necessary.
No financial transactions to be permitted
The official communication emphasised that no financial transactions would be permitted from the affected accounts during this period. Further details regarding the reasons behind the action and potential legal implications are awaited.
The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das on Monday, following a complaint by Md Feroze Khan, has sparked a major controversy in Bangladesh. Khan alleged that the monk desecrated the national flag by flying a saffron flag above it, in violation of Bangladesh’s 1972 Flag Rules. The arrest has triggered protests and violent clashes, particularly in Chattogram, where supporters of the monk rallied against the allegations. The unrest escalated with the tragic death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif during the protests, further intensifying tensions and prompting demands to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh.
