Bangladesh
Population: 166.3 million
Dominant religion: Sunni Islam
Persecution ranking: 30
2024 has been a traumatic year for Muslim Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina won her fourth consecutive term as prime minister on January 8. Her political party, the Awami League, also won 75 percent of all congressional seats. Their opponents, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the election, partly because tens of thousands of their members were jailed last year. Some of them died.
During her long terms, Sheikh Hasina has made important infrastructure improvements and about 25 million Bangladeshis rose above poverty during the last 20 years. Per capita income has tripled in the last ten years, according to the World Bank.
In early July, there were student protests over job quotas. At least one third of the civil service jobs were reserved for relatives of those who fought in Bangladesh’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. Though the government largely met their demands, protests continued and spread beyond universities. In early August, Ms. Hasina fled to India, and now Bangladesh’s government has no viable head of state.
Enter Islamicists. Though the Hindu and Christian minorities have always been vulnerable in this Sunni Muslim country, they have enjoyed the protection of Sheikh Hasina’s secular policies.
Who will protect them now? The police are busy trying to stop criminals who are taking advantage of the instability. Police can’t be everywhere. If a Christian files a complaint with the police, this will invite further retaliation from Islamicists and local leaders. Complaints to the police require “monetary favors”, meaning bribes. The persons who file the complaint lose time at work, which leads to a loss of pay or even the loss of their jobs.
The results are tragic. Acting with impunity, evil doers have attacked and looted Hindu temples, Christian churches, and private homes. Taking someone’s land by force is far more common. Following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, minorities faced over 1,000 acts of violence in just one month. Christian children are not safe. Some are banned from schools. Those who attend are often bullied by classmates and teachers. Open Doors UK offers many examples of injustices faced by Christians.
Most likely, the situation will continue or even get worse until there is a stable government in Bangladesh. Persecution will be especially harsh for those who turned from Islam to follow Christ. Our only recourse is prayer.
Let us pray fervently for:
- Pray for justice to come to this situation (The Bible, Amos 5:24)
- Pray for Bangladeshi Christians to stay strong in their faith, never to give way to bitterness or retribution (The Bible, Ephesians 4:31 ).
- Pray this tragic situation will pave the way for Hindus and Muslims to find their way to the cross (The Bible, Acts 16:30-31).
Resources
International Christian Concern. Bangladesh Elections Further Rule of Authoritarian Sheikh Hasina. February 22, 2024.
BBC News. What sparked the protests that toppled Bangladesh’s PM? August 5, 2024
International Christian Concern. Protests in Bangladesh Lead to Violence Against Hindus, Christians. August 9, 2024.
Open Doors. Urgent: Pray For Christians Under Attack in Bangladesh. August 7, 2024.