Students of Dhaka University (DU) on Tuesday night staged a protest demanding a ban on ISKCON and in protest against the heinous murder of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif in Chattogram, reports UNB.
The protest was organized by the ‘Dhaka University Student Association of Lohagara-Satkania’ at 9:30 PM by the VC square of DU.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as ISKON, is a Hindu organization that established in 1966 in New York City.
Students from various halls joined the march. During the protest, they chanted slogans such as, “ISKCON, you are a terrorist, companion of dictatorship,” “ISKCON has no room in this land,” among others.
The protesters demanded the arrest of those involved in the murder of the lawyer within the next 24 hours, ban on the ISKCON, an investigation into the source of ISKCON's funding, and actions against those responsible for creating communal violence.
Sakhawat Zakaria, a student from the DU’s Law Faculty, said: “It is clear to us who killed Advocate Saiful. They did not kill a Muslim but a government lawyer. No religious organization should do such a thing. This organization is linked to extremist Hinduism. Sanatanis should not support ISKCON in any way.”
He urged the Sanatanis, “You should also raise your voice against ISKCON. We need to ban ISKCON and extremist Hinduism.”
Tahmid Al Mudassir, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said: "In Bangladesh's history, there is no precedent for the murder of a government lawyer, but ISKCON has done it. The culprits must be arrested within 24 hours and tried in a special tribunal. ISKCON should be banned, and we need to find out where their funding comes from.”
He added: "Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony. Anyone who tries to create communal violence, like Sheikh Hasina, will be opposed."
Mossadek Ali Ibn Mohammad, a student from the Department of Bengala, said: "ISKCON was banned in several countries because they are involved in terrorist activities. Therefore, it should also be banned in Bangladesh."
Earlier, the protesters offered a Namaz-e-Janaza for Advocate Saiful in front of the Raju Sculpture at TSC (Teacher-Student Center) before proceeding with the protest.
Advocate Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death amid clashes between police and Hindu community people on a Chattogram court premises on Tuesday after the court rejected bail to former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
