London, June 25 (IANS) Bangladesh is witnessing an escalating wave of attacks on religious minorities, particularly Hindus, while hundreds of incidents targeting Christians have also been reported. The country ranks 33rd on Open Doors' World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, a report has highlighted.
A report in the UK's leading Christian magazine 'Christianity' cited the case of Kashem, a Christian spiritual leader in Bangladesh who was allegedly assaulted by four men on motorbikes last month while returning home from a market. "They beat me with sticks and warned me: If you continue preaching Christianity or sharing the gospel, we will not spare you next time," said Kashem.
The report noted that the assault was so brutal that Kashem might not have survived had witnesses not stepped in to intervene.
In a separate incident, Atahar, a Christian convert from Islam, had just finished cleaning his shop in a village in northern Bangladesh and was preparing to open for business when a crowd of 500 to 700 people reportedly gathered outside and assaulted him. According to the report, members of the mob told him that Christians were not permitted to conduct business in the area before tying his hands with a rope and forcibly dragging him outside.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Atahar said, "I lost my source of income, and I do not know how I will feed my family."
Additionally, on the same day, two other Christian businessmen were reportedly expelled from their shops, while all three families were subsequently banned from using public roads in the village.
The report noted that these are just two of many accounts highlighting a surge in attacks against Christians in Bangladesh since the February 12 elections.
The ruling Bangladesh National Party (BNP), which secured a landslide victory, had campaigned on the promise of building a "rainbow nation" that would be inclusive of all ethnic and religious communities. Its manifesto pledged that regardless of whether Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, people of the hills, or people of the plains, and regardless of whether rich or poor, together they shall build a national unity and an indivisible national identity.
The document further declared that religion is individual; the state is for all, ending all divisions through the unified 'Bangladeshi' national identity. Yet, despite these assurances, the report said, many Christians and Hindus say attacks and intimidation against their communities have increased in the months following the election.
Citing an Open Doors partner in Bangladesh, the report said that many Christians feel that the current political environment has emboldened some local religious leaders and extremist elements to act more openly against Christians, especially converts from Islam. "What we are seeing is rooted in a broader trend that had already been developing since the political transition of 2024," it added.
--IANS
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