On May 2, Pastor Motilal Das's daughter, Elina (13), was gang-raped by five Muslim men in the village of Laksmipur, Bangladesh. A forensics test was conducted following the attack but the results allegedly proved that her claims of sexual assault were false (click here for more details). According to an August 18 report from Compass Direct, a second DNA test was conducted by a different hospital and confirmed that Elina was either raped or sexually assaulted. Mymensingh Medical College Hospital Forensic Department head Akhteruzzaman Talukder has denied accusations that the relatives of the accused men paid the hospital to falsify the results of the first forensics test. Pastor Das claims that the same relatives have threatened and bribed him in an attempt to have him withdraw the case.
Pray for Elina Das and her family. Pray that they will not be fearful, but trust in God (Revelation 2:10). Pray that the authorities will act with integrity in determining the guilt of the accused men.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Bangladesh, go to the Bangladesh Country Report.