No discussion held to ban ISKCON: Rizwana

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan yesterday said no discussion was held to ban International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh.

“No discussion was held in the government to ban ISKCON  [in Bangladesh]. Many may raise demands. People may take programmes to press home their demands. We are not mixing the offences of organisations with the offences of individuals,” she told a press briefing, responding to a question.

The press briefing was held at Foreign Service Academy in the capital last evening.

About the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, Rizwana said he was arrested on specific allegations and he is under trial now, she added.

Citing newspapers’ reports, Rizwana said ISKCON has claimed that it has no relation with Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Speaking at the press briefing, adviser Mahfuj Alam said two cases have been filed in connection with the killing of a lawyer in Chattogram so far and more cases might follow.

Drives are going on to arrest those involved in the killing, he said.

Mahfuj said country’s people together resisted the ill efforts of creating communal violence in the country.

In this context, he said, a delegation of BNP met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday and a delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami called on him today.

He said both the parties stressed for national unity to maintain the country’s sovereignty and resist the attempts of communal violence.

About the attacks on mazars, the adviser said the government is monitoring the situation and measures taken in this regard will be visible within a day or two.

He hoped that the ongoing situation will come back to normalcy with the help of all stakeholders concerned.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also present at the press briefing.