Family to seek parole for jailed Chinmoy Das after mother’s death

Shondha Rani Dhar, the mother of incarcerated Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesman Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, has died.

She passed away around 9:30am on Thursday at Pundarik Dham in Hathazari Upazila, according to Swatantra Gauranga Das Brahmachari, vice-president of Prabartak Sangha.

“Her last rites will be performed at Pundarik Dham in accordance with her wishes. The family will seek Chinmoy Brahmachari’s release on parole for this,” he told bdnews24.com.

Shondha had been receiving hospital treatment for nearly two months for cancer and other illnesses, according to Chinmoy’s elder brother Ranjan Dhar.

She was taken from hospital to Pundarik Dham on Tuesday in accordance with her wishes, he said.

The family had approached the district magistrate on Wednesday seeking Chinmoy’s release on parole so that he could see his mother one last time.

Chattogram Additional District Magistrate Syed Mahbubul Haque told bdnews24.com that there was no legal provision for parole to visit an ailing relative, but that such a release could be considered following the death of a relative.

No fresh application had been submitted to the district magistrate’s office as of noon on Thursday following Shondha’s death, he said.

Chattogram District Additional Superintendent of Police (Hathazari Circle) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz said, "If Chinmoy Das is ordered to be released on parole at the family's request, then action will be taken accordingly."

Chinmoy, the principal of Pundarik Dham in Hathazari, had been acting as a spokesperson for the Hindu community and pushing for an eight-point list of demands following against attacks on minorities across the country after the Awami League government fell on Aug 5, 2024.

In October that year, a sedition case was filed against him at the Chattogram Kotwali Police Station on charges of insulting the national flag. He was arrested from Dhaka’s Shahjalal Airport on Nov 25.

The next day, when his bail was rejected and he was sent to prison, his supporters surrounded his prison van at the Chittagong court premises. After two and a half hours, the police dispersed the protesters by throwing sound grenades and took Chinmoy to prison.

During the incident, the protesters vandalised several motorcycles and other vehicles parked on the court road. This led to lawyers and employees of the court chasing them. During the chase, lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was hacked and beaten to death on the road.

Although Chinmoy was not named in the case filed by lawyer Alif's father over the incident, the police named him the prime suspect in the investigation report.

There are currently eight cases pending against him. Among them, the lawyer Alif murder case is at the Chittagong Division Speedy Trial Tribunal.

Chinmoy has been granted bail in four cases by the High Court, but he remains in jail due to his arrest in the other cases.