Several prominent human rights organizations have criticized the arrest of Haridas Chandra Tarani Das for suggesting the construction of an 81-foot-tall Lord Ram statue at a temple in Bangladesh. Das was apprehended on July 12 in connection with a money laundering case filed at a police station in Dhaka.
CID Special Superintendent of Police Jasim Uddin Khan confirmed Das’s arrest, with further details to be revealed later, as per local media reports. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, in a statement, accused extremist groups of opposing the statue proposal, causing religious tensions and inciting hostility.
Expressing concern, the council highlighted the failure of Bangladeshi authorities to address those inciting religious discord. They demanded Das’s immediate release, justice, protection of religious freedom, and action against those fostering communal hatred.
The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities also denounced Das’s arrest, linking it to religious tensions and threats against the temple. The organization had previously warned authorities about pressures faced by the temple and the Hindu community. They cautioned that if Das’s detention is related to his religious activities, it could be a case of targeting him for his beliefs.
