Chinmoy Krishna Das’s Mother Dies Without Seeing Her Jailed Son
Chinmoy Das’s mother dies while he remains jailed.
Sandhya Rani Dhar, the 71-year-old mother of jailed Bangladeshi Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, died on Thursday without seeing her son, after authorities denied the family’s request for his temporary release on parole. She passed away at the Sri Sri Pundarika Dham Ashram in Hathazari upazila of Chittagong district, where she had wished to spend her final days. Her family had sought permission for Das to visit her during her illness.
Sandhya Rani Dhar had earlier been admitted to a hospital in Chittagong after falling ill and was diagnosed with cancer, according to Bangladeshi media reports. She reportedly did not want to remain in hospital and instead wished to spend her final days at the ashram where her son had lived for a long time. Her family said her wish was to see Chinmoy Krishna Das at least once before her death.
The family approached Chittagong authorities on Wednesday seeking conditional parole for Das, submitting the request to Deputy Commissioner and ex-officio President of the Prison Management Committee Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah. However, officials informed the family that there was no provision for granting parole to a prisoner to visit a sick relative. Chittagong Additional District Magistrate Syed Mahbubul Haque said temporary release could be considered when a relative dies, but not for visiting someone who is ill.
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Das's brother Ranjan Kumar Dhar said the family had made the request specifically to fulfil their mother's final wish. After her death, the family planned to take her body to Hathazari Upazila Health Complex and apply for Das's release on parole with a medical certificate. Her last rites were to be performed at Pundarik Dham in Hathazari. Another brother, Anjan Kumar Dhar, confirmed her death and expressed distress that Das had been unable to meet his mother while she was alive.
Chinmoy Krishna Das remains in custody despite securing bail in two cases, with his release reportedly blocked by two other cases. He was arrested in Dhaka on November 25, 2024, and sent to jail the following day after a Chattogram court rejected his bail plea. The same court rejected another bail request on December 11, while a High Court bench comprising Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher granted bail on Sunday after hearing two separate petitions.
Das is also the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot and has remained a prominent figure among Bangladesh's Hindu community. His prolonged detention and repeated bail proceedings have drawn attention from his supporters and family. The latest developments surrounding his mother's death have added another dimension to the legal case, as his family now seeks his temporary release following her passing.
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