Supporters of an arrested Hindu monk calling for the protection of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority clashed with the police in the port city of Chittagong in November, with a Muslim public prosecutor killed in the violence. The Chittagong District Bar Association, however, refuted claims repeatedly shared by media organisations in neighbouring Hindu-majority India that the deceased lawyer was representing the Hindu monk. A court document released by the Bangladesh government separately showed a different lawyer was handling the case.
“Bangladesh: Muslim lawyer representing ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das killed!” read part of a Facebook post shared on November 27, 2024.
It added the killing was part of a so-called “deep state” conspiracy to ignite war between Muslim-majority Bangladesh and its Hindu-majority neighbour India.
The post included what appeared to be a report from India’s Republic TV. The broadcaster made a similar claim in a report that had since been corrected.
Screenshot of false Facebook post taken on 27 November, 2024
Religious relations have been turbulent in Bangladesh since a student-led August revolution forced long-time autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India (archived link).
In November angry supporters of outspoken Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari — arrested on charges connected to disrespecting the national flag during a rally — battled with police in Chittagong after he was denied bail.
Brahmachari is the spokesman of a newly-formed Hindu group leading protests calling for the protection of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority. He had been a member of the more mainstream ISKCON, commonly called the Hare Krishna movement.
Police said a public prosecutor was killed in the chaos, naming him as Saiful Islam Alif, a Muslim.
Similar posts that Alif was representing Brahmachari in his case were also published by other Indian media organisations such as FirstPost, Economic Times, Live Mint and Asianet News.
Posts on social media site X and Facebook also shared the claims.
Different lawyer
But the claims are false, according to Nazimuddin Chowdhury, president of the Chittagong District Bar Association.
“The deceased lawyer was neither defending Chinmoy Das nor was he in the prosecution team. Alif was killed by the violent mob on his way back home,” Chowdhury told AFP on December 11.
“A case was filed following the murder and 11 persons were arrested by the law enforcing agencies,” he added.
Bangladesh’s interim government — led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus — also branded the claims as “false” in a statement shared on Facebook on November 27 (archived link).
“Some Indian media are claiming that lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, who was brutally murdered in Chattagram today, was representing Chinmoy Krishna Das. The claim is false and is being spread with malafide intention,” the statement read.
It added Brahmachari is being represented by a lawyer named Subasish Sharma.
The interim government’s press wing also provided journalists a copy of Brahmachari’s bail application plea which bore lawyer Subasish Sharma’s name. Nowhere in the filing was Alif’s name indicated.
Below are screenshots from the document showing a stamp with Sharma’s name:
Official copy of the Vokaltnama (bail application plea)
Bangladeshi media outlets including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo which reported on Alif’s killing did not indicate he was linked to the Hindu monk’s case (archived links here and here).
AFP has debunked a wave of misinformation around the political turmoil in Bangladesh.
