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Bangladesh

• Christians flee after attack on house church

  Muslim militants attacked the pastor of a recently established house church in the village of Bagulagari, Bangladesh on August 1, according to reports from Open Doors. The militants used violence to pressure Pastor Majid into giving up the names of local mission workers and damaged his home. Pastor Majid, along with other believers, have fled to a safe area due to the growing pressure Christians have been facing to reconvert back to Islam. According to another pastor in the area, Muslim villagers have petitioned local authorities to ban Christian activities and threatened to take action against believers themselves if their demands are not met.

  Pray for the pastors and church leaders in Bangladesh. Pray that the Lord will give them strength as they face persecution. Pray also that the Muslim villagers may come to know the Good News.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Bangladesh, go to the Bangladesh Country Report.

• Christian Girl's Rape Case Medical Report Falsified by Muslims

  Last month, Elina Das, the 13-year-old daughter of Pastor Motil Das was gang-raped by Muslims in the village of Laksmipur, Mymensingh district (click here for more details). According to a June 4 report from Compass Direct, a forensic report on Elina's case allegedly proved that her claims of sexual assault were false. However, relatives of the accused rapists reportedly gave 80,000 taka ($1,190 CAD) to the medical college to alter the report in their favour. Pastor Das' Muslim neighbours have expressed their shock over the falsified report which they had hoped would help to bring the rapists to justice.

   For more information about the persecution Christians face in this country, visitBangladesh's Country Report.

• Pastor's Daughter Raped On May 2, Pastor Motilal Das' 13-year-old daughter, Elina Das, was raped by five Muslims intent on stopping his ministry work in the village of Laksmipur, Mymensingh district, according to a May 8 report from Compass Direct. The Muslims abducted Elina while she was walking to a latrine outside her home. They gagged her and took her to a nearby tea stall where she was repeatedly raped. At approximately 3:00 a.m., Pastor Das found Elina unconscious on his doorstep. When he went to the police station, the officers reluctantly registered the case after accusing him of filing a false case. Muslims have since threatened to kill him and his family if he does not withdraw the charges. Pastor Das claimed that locals Muslim have long been angered by his evangelistic work in the area and he had previously received death threats. Male Muslim classmates had repeatedly teased and harassed Elina, the only Christian in her school, about her faith.

  Ask God to give Elina healing from the assault. Pray that authorities will prosecute the offenders to the full extent of the law. Pray for Elina and her family as they will struggle with the ability to exhibit God's love to their persecutors (Romans 12:14-21).

  For more information on the trials facing Christians in this country, visitBangladesh's Country Report.

• Elderly Christian Dies from Burns On February 1, a 70-year-old convert from Islam, Rahima Beoa, died from the severe burns she suffered to over 70 percent of her body when unidentified assailants set fire to her home in the Muslim-dominated village of Cinatuly last month. According to a February 4 report from Compass Direct, on January 7, individuals set fire to the house that Beoa shared with her daughter and son-in-law, also converts to Christianity from Islam, and their children. Beoa and her nine-year-old grandson were home at the time of the blaze, but the boy managed to escape. According to a local pastor, villagers were upset by Beoa's planned February 13 baptism. They were also angered by the conversions of her daughter and son-in-law and his evangelistic work.

  Pray that the loved ones of Rahima will know God's comfort, peace and boldness. Pray that her family will stand firm in their faith. Pray that Christians in Bangladesh will confidently entrust themselves to Christ (2 Timothy 1:7-12).

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in this country, visitBangladesh's Country Report.

• Persecution in Nilphamari Resumes

  When local Muslims attacked ten Christian converts in Nilphamari and threatened to kill them if they did not leave the community, the authorities stationed a special force in the community for three months to protect the Christians and allow them to stay in their homes (read the details). According to a July 18 report from Compass Direct, however, the force stayed only a week before leaving. The believers are continuing to be intimidated and ostracized in an attempt to force them from the community. On July 10, a local Christian named Hatem was questioned about his faith, beaten and bound. He was released the next day after the village chairman intervened. In the days that followed, other Christians were threatened and some escaped serious injury only because they were forewarned of plots against them. Area church leaders are calling for renewed intervention to protect these Christians.

  To find out more about the persecution facing Christians in this country, visit Bangladesh's Country Report.

• Christian Converts Attacked by Muslims Ten Christian converts from Islam were bound with ropes in their homes and beaten by Muslim villagers armed with bricks and wooden clubs in Nilphamari district, Bangladesh on June 26, according to a July 3 report from Compass Direct. Several believers required hospitalization and one house was destroyed in the attack. The Muslims gave the believers an ultimatum to leave the village within twenty-four hours and threatened to kill two of them. The deadline expired without incident, however. Police have stationed a special protective team in the village of Durbachari for three months in order to allow the converts to stay in their homes and continue to work in the area. Their children, however, can no longer attend the Islamic school, the only local educational institution.

  Pray that these believers will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear because of these kinds of attacks (1 Peter 3:14-17). Ask God to enable Christian parents to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Christ so that their children will be encouraged to walk closely with Him (Deuteronomy 11:18-20, 2 Timothy 1:5). Pray that those who persecute Christians in Bangladesh will come to know Christ as Lord.

  For more information on persecution in Bangladesh, visitBangladesh's Country Report.

• Church Burned by Mob

  While Islam is the dominant religion in Bangladesh , Buddhism has flourished in small areas of the country such as the isolated sub-district of Panchari in eastern Bangladesh . For the past year, Christians there have been facing increasing pressure to renounce their conversion to Christ and return to Buddhism.  They have been beaten and threatened and community leaders have attempted to drive them from the area. According to an April 10 report by Compass Direct, the violence culminated with the burning of a church building by an angry mob in the village of Kinamonipara on March 30. An army contingent has since been deployed to prevent further violence. Other Bangladeshi Christians have been unable to provide support because the remote location and because of political instability in the region.

  Pray that the believers will remain steadfast in their determination to follow the Lord. Ask God to remind them that they have inherited "better and lasting possessions" through Christ that far outweigh the losses they have endured (Hebrews 10:32 -39). Pray that the believers will boldly proclaim the gospel and that many more will come to know Jesus as a result.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Bangladesh ,click here.

• Tight Security in Bangladesh Prevents Christmas Violence

  Security around the nearly 100 churches in Bangladesh was tight as the Christmas season approached. As a result of the increased security, two live bombs were recovered from a school compound in Pagla, near the capital of Dhaka. Police also detained ten suspected Islamic militants on December 25. Police believe the ten were involved in a recent spate of suicide bombings by the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, a group demanding Shariah law in Bangladesh.

  Thank God for His protection in Bangladesh. Pray that those who were involved in the security measures will see the hand of God through it all and be drawn to Him.

  For more information on persecution of Christians in Bangladesh,click here.

• Two Health Workers Murdered in Bangladesh

  Two Christian men were hacked to death on July 29 after showing the "Jesus Film" in Dhopapara village, Faridpur district, about 150 kilometres southwest of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.

  The two men, Tapan Kumar Roy, 27, and Liplal Marandi, 21, worked for Christian Life Bangladesh, a partner agency of Campus Crusade for Christ International. As part of their work in caring for the health needs of the people, they would show educational films on various health concerns, including mother/child care and AIDS prevention.  On the request of villagers, they would often show the "Jesus Film" also, which angered Muslim militants in the area.  The men had been threatened twice by an official from the local madrassa (Islamic school).

  They were planning on leaving the area when they were brutally attacked in the early morning hours of July 29 by men brandishing knives and other sharp weapons. Reports indicate that the doors of neighbouring homes had been chained shut to prevent anyone from helping.  When neighbours finally managed to get to the men, they rushed them to the local medical centre. Roy died in transit and Marandi died as he arrived at the hospital.  At least two arrests have been made in connection with the murders.

  Pray that those who heard the Gospel message from these men will continue to seek and will come to faith in Christ.  Pray peace and comfort for their families and friends.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Bangladesh,click here.

• Lay Pastor Beheaded

  Compass Direct sources report the beheading of Dulal Sarkar, a lay pastor and evangelist with the Bangladesh Free Baptist Church in Jalalpur village, in the southwest division of Khulna on March 8.  According to reports received, Sarkar had shared his faith with a group of Muslims a week before he was killed and several came to faith in Christ.  The next week, on March 8, he was again sharing his faith with Muslim villagers.  As he was returning home, ten Muslim militants from the village attacked him and severed his head.

  Sarkar's wife, Aruna, filed a police report and three of the militants have been arrested.  However, Aruna has been receiving death threats and has been forced to move between various homes to protect herself and her children.

  Aruna is left to care for five children: Daniel, Joseph, Parboti, Moses and Tutol.  Dulal's mother has also been living with the family.  Aruna has asked a Christian orphanage to care for three of the children while she works in the fields.

  Pray for safety for Aruna and her children.  Pray that those responsible for this murder will be brought to justice.  Pray that villagers will come to faith in Christ and continue to grow in Him.

  For more information on Bangladesh and the challenges facing Christians there,click here.