The removal of Sheikh Hasina as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister a year ago has unleashed a wave of anti-Christian violence in the country, and strengthened the hand of those who wish to turn the country into an Islamic state, Open Doors fears.
It reports that more than 100 families have been pressured into renouncing Christ, while there have been at least 36 attacks on Christians or Christian property. Christians and other religious minorities are often accused of being supporters of the Awami League (AL), the political party of Sheikh Hasina.
An anonymous local source told Open Doors, “Changes in political power can often result in attacks on religious minorities and the confiscation of their property. Some Muslim leaders are portraying Christians as enemies and promoting the idea of establishing a 100 per cent Islamic state.
“This agenda includes converting Christians back to Islam and targeting church leaders and families to instil fear and pressure them to renounce their faith.”
Since the collapse of the Hasina government, a number of Islamist groups like Hefazat-e-Islam and Hizb ut-Tahrir have increased in power. There have been renewed efforts to convert minorities to Islam, sometimes forcefully, as well as moves to introduce punitive blasphemy laws.
One man described an anti-Christian attack, “At around 5:30pm a group of extremists destroyed and looted my decorations shop. They also threatened to kill me.
“I got to know that the reason for this destruction was because I'm a follower of Jesus Christ.”
There have been reports of attacks and vandalism on churches and other religious buildings. Police and local authorities often do little to address the situation, says Open Doors.
Another anonymous local told Open Doors, “The lack of justice and accountability for perpetrators of persecution further exacerbates the situation.
“False teaching and misinformation about Christianity perpetuated by some Muslims contribute to a culture of hatred and discrimination against non-Muslims. Some Muslims intentionally spread falsehoods about Christianity, leading to a distorted perception of the religion and fostering animosity towards its followers.”
The same individual said that if Islamist parties do well in the forthcoming elections, then the situation for Christians in the country is likely to deteriorate still further.
