At least one person was killed in Bangladesh in clashes between security forces and Hindus protesting against the arrest of a religious leader, police said, even as neighbouring India urged that the safety of Hindus and minorities be ensured.

Bangladesh stepped up security in the port city of Chittagong on Wednesday as police arrested six people in connection with the murder of a lawyer, who was killed during clashes following the arrest of a leader of the country's Hindu minority.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Police in Bangladesh’s capital have arrested a prominent Hindu leader who has been leading rallies demanding security for Hindus in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country amid a mass uprising in August.

Bangladesh has rebuffed accusations from India's Ministry of External Affairs regarding the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, asserting the allegations are unfounded. Dhaka emphasized its commitment to communal harmony and explained that the judiciary remains independent.

Bangladeshi supporters of an arrested Hindu leader clashed with security forces on Tuesday after the outspoken monk was denied bail on sedition charges, with one person killed, police said.

A court in Bangladesh has denied bail to a prominent monk who had been leading rallies demanding security for the minority Hindu community in the South Asian country. Chinmoy Krishna Das, the leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) in Bangladesh,