Bangladesh

Muslim religious leaders and locals in the villages are the primary source or persecution among believers, particularly toward those who convert from Islam. New Christians are often shunned by their family and community, or pressured to revert to Islam. Sometimes they are beaten or expelled and authorities deny them due process of law. Propaganda against the Christian faith has increased in the electronic media, as has false accusations against believers in rural areas. A positive trend to note is that Muslim Background Believer churches are on the rise and are becoming more visible.

Examples of Persecution:

• In April 2011, Muslim villagers beat a 22-year-old Christian man for defending Christian girls against routine harassment and bullying.
• A Christian was sentenced to one year in prison for 'creating chaos' by selling and distributing Christian books and other literature near a major Muslim gathering.

Open Doors is: equipping believers, training Muslim background beliver workers, providing relief in times of calamity, and offering advocacy for persecuted believers.

Please Pray:

• For God to give wisdom and courage to new believers
• For the believers facing physical harassment, that God would give them strength to persevere in their faith
• Praise God for the distribution of the Bible Storybook to children. Pray that they will grow in their understanding of God.