The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) condemns the recent violence in Bangladesh and calls for calm and cooperation between religious communities in Bangladesh.
The ISKCON organization has existed in Bangladesh since 1978. ISKCON traces our roots to the Bengali saint Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in the 16th Century. Since those early days and up to today ISKCON has promoted peace between the Muslim and Hindu communities.
In recent days, after the unfortunate killing of Abrar Farhadand other incidents (including the mayhem in Bhola over a fake Facebook post from a hacked account of a Hindu boy), ISKCON has been falsely and viciously accused of wrongdoing.
For the last few weeks, some isolated incidents have happened in Bangladesh— the furor after the brutal killing of BUET student Abrar Fahad, the mayhem in Borhanuddin, Bhola over a fake Facebook post from a hacked account of a hapless Hindu fellow, to name a few. After some careful attention, one can see a connection among these discreet events. Any sincere observer can understand the conspiracy and perfidious engineering by some evil vested groups.
From these incidents, it is apparently clear that some groups are trying to destabilize the religious harmony in Bangladesh. They are trying to exploit the religious sentiments of common people in order to slur and destroy the century-old communal coherence between the Hindus and Muslims in Bangladesh. And with a view to materializing their dirty schemes, they have deliberately targeted the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), one of the most prominent and globally esteemed spiritual organizations, which is distinctively recognized as a torchbearer for uplifting humanity by spearheading peace and compassion in the conflict-ridden world.
These conspirators, patronized by accomplices have spread their vile network in different strata of the society. The traces of their plotting can be found in various established media, such as different TV channels, online newspapers, and in social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The miscreants are using every possible media outlet to spread hatred and spurious propaganda against ISKCON and the Hindus. Common masses are becoming confused. As a result, the long-held religious solidarity in Bangladesh among sects is about to be tarnished. It is absolutely unacceptable that an immaculate spiritual organization like ISKCON is being smeared in every possible way. This is why, we feel the need to clarify certain facts.
First, after the Abrar tragedy, a false news appeared on the front page of the Daily Nayadiganta and the Daily Inqilab on October 11, 2019 that tried to establish Amit Saha, one of the accused in Abrar killing, as a member of ISKCON. The news read, “the main plotter in the killing of Abrar is a member of the extremist organization ISKCON”; it is completely fabricated and full of lies. Amit Saha is no way related to ISKCON and never was. We have already given our unambiguous statements regarding this in different media. It is vivid that involving ISKCON in Amit Saha issue is an ill-conceived complicity of the perpetrators.
Second, the real culprits in connection with the Bhola mayhem over a fake Facebook post have already been identified by the prompt order of the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The administration and law enforcement agencies have identified who were behind this. However, it is very unfortunate that the plotters have spread the rumor that Biplob Chandra Baidya, whose Facebook account was hacked, is a member of ISKCON. The Daily Janakantha, too, has attacked ISKCON in this issue on a news published on October 23, 2019. This news is completely fake and baseless. Biplob, too, has never been an ISKCON member.
Though ISKCON has nothing to do in either of the issues, the colluders have made a blueprint to purposely destroy its image and goodwill. the religious harmony by smearing ISKCON. They are also spitting provocative speeches against ISKCON and demanding to ban it which is absolutely unfortunate.
It is to be noted that, ISKCON is a completely nonviolent, nonpolitical, nonpartisan, and non-sectarian spiritual organization having an impeccable legacy of over 50 years. There has never been a single instance of ISKCON’s involvement in any kind of extremist activities in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world. Rather, ISKCON is working tirelessly with different International organizations including the United Nations to establish peace and harmony across the world. ISKCON is engaged in various interfaith dialogues, sociocultural welfare activities such as distributing free sumptuous meals, free clothes, offering affordable treatment, fostering sustainability, educating children etc. It should also be noted that ISCKCON is established based on the Vaishnava principles of sheer nonviolence inculcated by Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu of 16th Century. ISKCON’s overarching teaching is to soulfully respect “all living entities”, what to speak of humans! ISKCON practices and preaches that God exists in every living entity; that’s why everyone should be honored. How can those who refrain from killing even animals be involved in killing humans? ISKCON is always very respectful towards all faiths and is fully against hurting anyone’s religious feelings.
Still, it is ISKCON that has been smeared in every possible way and is being called a terrorist organization! We suspect there are hideous masterminds behind this propaganda with a specific ploy. A recent news confirms our fear and sheds light on the vicious master plan.
A news titled, “Plotting of lone wolf attacks in ISKCON temples! Indian Intelligence agencies warned Dhaka” has been published in a prominent Indian newspaper, the Daily Anandabazar on October 23, 2019. The Daily Kaler Kantha of Bangladesh ran similar news. An excerpt from the Anandabazar reads as follows:
According to the information found by the reliable media sources and ground evidencesfor the past few months the media arms of the terrorist organizations such as IS have been spreading smear campaigns against ISKCON and trying to establish ISKCON as a “figure of Hinduttva”. Recently, one media channel of IS named “Ummah News” has attacked ISKCON calling it the “figure of Hinduttva”. We are assuming that the documents found from these terrorist organizations indicate that a blueprint is being designed for an unprecedented attack on one of the ISKCON temples. “Overall, ISKCON is their target now. One of the ISKCON temples in Bangladesh might be attacked soon”.
The whole scenario is sure worrisome. In Bangladesh, people of different faiths have been living together in peace and harmony for centuries. That “culture of empathy” is seriously at stake by the heinous schemes of the extremist organizations. We earnestly request the Government of Bangladesh to put an end to all these disinformation machines and take exemplary actions against the criminals. The so called journalists, and social media influencers who are inciting people by spreading propaganda, and those who are giving hate speeches should also be given exemplary punishment. We also condemn the ghastly crimes of destroying Hindu temples and attacking Hindu homes with the same intention of destabilizing the religious coexistence in a secular and progressive nation like Bangladesh. In order to preserve the social harmony and interreligious fabrics of our beautiful country under the dynamic leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister o Sheikh Hasina Therefore, we expect and hope that the Government will take immediate steps against this new phenomena of ISKCON and preserve the harmony of the country. May we all be blessed by the Supreme Divine.
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