Tue Dec 03 07:14:21 UTC 2024: ## ISKCON Advises Bangladeshi Devotees to Practice Faith Discreetly Amidst Rising Violence
**Kolkata, India –** Following a recent arrest of an ISKCON monk in Bangladesh and escalating violence against the Hindu minority community, ISKCON Kolkata has issued an advisory urging its monks and followers in Bangladesh to practice their faith discreetly. The advice, issued by ISKCON Kolkata vice-president and spokesperson Radharamn Das, recommends avoiding saffron robes and tilaks in public to mitigate safety risks.
Das stated that the measure is temporary and a direct response to numerous calls from worried devotees facing threats and intimidation. He cited incidents of temple vandalism and attacks on religious gatherings as contributing factors to the heightened concern. The advisory comes after Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson for a Hindu organization in Bangladesh, was arrested and jailed in Dhaka.
The Hindu community in Bangladesh, once comprising approximately 22% of the population, has dwindled to around 8% in recent decades, due to socio-political marginalization, exodus, and violence. The current situation, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, has exacerbated anxieties within the community. ISKCON’s advisory reflects the increasingly precarious situation faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.
First Piper 