Former ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina condemned the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and urged the interim government to release him immediately.
Krishna Das was arrested by Bangladesh police on charges of sedition earlier this week. Widespread protests erupted in different parts of the country over the Hindu monk's arrest. A lawyer was killed in the clashes between security personnel and protesters.
"A top leader of the Sanatan religious community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released immediately," Hasina said in a statement.
"A temple has been burnt in Chittagong. Previously, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and homes of the Ahmadiyya community were attacked, vandalised, looted and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities should be ensured," she added.
Also read
- West Bengal: Protests erupt in Kolkata over Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das’s arrest in Bangladesh
- BJP MLAs meet Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata to protest arrest of Hindu monk
- Dhaka not thrilled by India's response to Chinmoy Krishna Das arrest: 'Our internal matter'
- Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das arrest: Bangladesh responds to India’s ‘concern’; lawyer killed amid protests
Krishna Das was denied bail and sent to judicial custody on Tuesday.
"Those involved in this murder should be found and punished quickly. Human rights have been grossly violated through this incident. A lawyer went to perform his professional duties, and those who beat him to death were terrorists. Whoever they are must be punished," Hasina said.
Hasina fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over the controversial job quota system.
Later, Nobel laureate Yunus took over as the Chief Adviser of the interim government.
Bangladesh seeks PM Hasina's trial in ICC
Bangladesh has sought to pursue the deposed PM Hasina's trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) even as she faced trial in a domestic tribunal on several charges including crimes against humanity.
Yunus had called on ICC prosecutor Karim A. Khan and discussed the issue of Hasina's trial.
Dozens of cases are being processed at the Internal Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) against Hasina, and her cabinet colleagues, several of them being in jail or on the run.
ICT-BD has issued an arrest warrant for Hasina and several top-ranking members of her Awami League party.
