B’deshi advocate may not return in time for monk’s bail hearing
Times of India | 27 December 2024
12 Kolkata: Bangladeshi human rights advocate Rabindra Ghosh, currently in India seeking medical treatment, might not make it back to Chittagong for former Iskcon monk Chinmoy Krishna Das' bail hearing on Jan 2 next year.
"A group of lawyers have decided to appear at the hearing on Jan 2 on behalf of the monk. I have been assured that if I fail to appear because of my health, the process of getting bail will not be stalled," said Ghosh.
Chinmoy Das, arrested on Nov 25 for alleged sedition, was refused bail on Nov 26, sparking protests from his supporters. At the subsequent hearing on Dec 3 at the Chittagong court, he had no legal representation. On Dec 12, Ghosh requested an earlier hearing date, but was refused.
The advocate arrived in Barrackpore on Dec 17 for treatment at AIIMS Kalyani. "Though my heart cries for the monk who needs justice urgently, the state of my health has compelled me to avoid travelling such a long distance," said the 75-year-old.
During an investigation in Satkheera four years ago, Ghosh was travelling on a night bus from Dhaka when it collided with a lorry. The crash, which claimed two lives, left him severely injured with a fractured left leg. He underwent surgery at AIIMS Delhi the following year.
According to Bimal Majumder of Bangladesh Udbastu Unnayan Sansad in Kolkata, many in the neighbouring country labelled Ghosh an ‘Indian agent' after he travelled to Kolkata and spoke out against human rights of minorities being violated.
"I had to face tremendous resistance from a section of lawyers at Chittagong. I was abused and heckled. Since then, I have been targeted by fundamentalists and threatened in many forms. They have started spreading lies with false propaganda through social media platforms," said Ghosh.
Radharamn Das, vice-president of Iskcon Kolkata, accompanied Ghosh from Barrackpore to the Iskcon temple on Thursday morning. "We are glad that a brave person like Ghosh has spent some time at the temple. In spite of his physical discomfort, he has been standing up for minorities in Bangladesh. He is a source of courage and inspiration to many of us," said Das.
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