Now, Bangladesh stops over 50 Iskcon members from crossing into India

Bangladesh border authorities denied permission to dozens of members of the Hindu spiritual organisation Iskcon to cross into India, despite possessing valid travel documents, according to reports.

The 54 members, including devotees from various districts, arrived at the Benapole border crossing on Saturday night and Sunday morning. However, after waiting for hours, they were informed that their travel was not authorised.

Immigration police officials told the Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star that they had received instructions from higher authorities not to permit the team to cross into India.

"We consulted the special branch of police and received instructions from the higher authorities not to permit them (to cross the border)," Imtiaz Ahsanul Quader Bhuiyan, a Benapole Immigration Police officer, was quoted as saying.

The border police officials claimed that the Iskon members, who were planning to attend a religious ceremony in India, reportedly had valid passports and visas but "lacked the specific government permission" required for their travel. 

"They cannot proceed without such approval," the officer said.

One of the Iskcon members, Saurabh Tapandar Cheli, said, "We came to participate in a religious ceremony taking place in India but immigration officials stopped us, citing the absence of government permission".  (India Today)

Iskcon has faced multiple actions in Bangaldesh following the arrest of Hindu monk and former Iskcon member Chinmoy Krishna Das in a sedition case. He was denied bail and set to jail, sparking a violent protest which led to the death of a lawyer. Two more Hindu priests--Rudraproti Kesab Das and Ranga Nath Syama Sundor Das--were arrested amid the protests.

This violent protest has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for a ban on Iskocn in Bangladesh. However, a Bangladeshi High Court refused to ban the organisation. 

Bangladeshi authorities have also ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of 17 Iskcon affiliates, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, for a period of 30 days.

Not far from Bangladesh border - eastern sector 

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