DHAKA– The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the High Court, alleging systemic abuse of legal processes to harass, intimidate, and dispossess Hindus and other religious minorities across Bangladesh.
In a statement released Monday, HRCBM described the PIL—submitted to the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court—as not merely a legal move but “a cry for justice” in a country where more than 3.9 million criminal cases remain unresolved, and prosecutorial powers are often misused.
“A chilling example of this weaponization of the justice system is the continued detention of Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari, a respected monk and social reformer,” the statement said. “He was first arrested on a sedition charge—illegally filed by a private individual, even though Bangladeshi law only permits the state to bring such charges under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.”
Despite the charge being widely viewed as baseless and growing public outcry, Chinmoy Krishna Brahmachari—also referred to as Chinmoy Prabhu—remains in jail. HRCBM revealed that his bail petition has been pending before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for months, while he has since been named in multiple additional “fabricated” cases, including unfounded allegations of murder.
“Is his only crime speaking truth to power and advocating for the rights of Bangladesh’s marginalized communities?” the statement asked. “His ordeal exemplifies broader state inaction and complicity—a legal charade in a system that claims to uphold justice.”
The organization said that after a thorough investigation, it reviewed 15 criminal cases filed between October 31 and December 19, 2024. These cases named a total of 5,701 individuals, many of whom were allegedly charged without specific allegations and were listed as part of vague or sweeping First Information Reports (FIRs).
“These broad accusations—particularly involving unnamed suspects—are reportedly being exploited by both police and local actors to arbitrarily arrest members of minority communities. This pattern has been especially visible in Chittagong and other urban centers,” the group said. “Such practices not only violate constitutional protections but further marginalize already vulnerable populations.”
The HRCBM emphasized that religious minorities in Bangladesh have historically faced cycles of violence, forced displacement, and legal persecution. The misuse of criminal charges, it said, now represents a new and insidious form of systemic oppression—one that is “silent but far-reaching.”
Through the PIL, HRCBM is calling on the judiciary to:
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Halt the arbitrary use of FIRs to file mass, uninvestigated accusations
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Mandate preliminary inquiries in cases that appear vulnerable to misuse
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Initiate disciplinary actions against officers involved in malicious prosecutions
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Establish a judicial inquiry or commission to investigate and report on the misuse of criminal charges against minorities (Source: IANS)
