As the number of Christians increase in Bangladesh, so do the attacks against them by Islamic jihadists.
The Islamic State fighters who slaughtered 20 people in a Bangladesh cafe in Dhaka on July 1 caused terror and intimidation, but even so, one Pastor bravely proclaimed: “persecution will come more but the believers and I are ready to face it.”
After North Korea, nine of the top ten persecuting states against Christians are Islamic states, according to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List.
Jihad Watch reported that the hostages taken during the July 1st massacre who recited the Quran were spared, and those who could not were tortured and then killed. Concern is also being raised that the July 1st attack was a “concerted” one against foreigners.
“Rise of Islamic extremism as number of Christians soar in Bangladesh”, by Katie Mansfield, UK Express, July 17, 2016:
Some 22 people were killed in a deadly attack on a cafe in Dhaka on July 1 with the Government blaming local homegrown militants despite Islamic State (ISIS) reportedly claiming responsibility.
Local pastors say the attack is the latest in a string of targeted killings which have left Christians and religious minorities fearing for their lives.
The attack took place in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone, Gulshan, causing widespread fear and concern about the rise in Islamic extremism in the country.
A worker for Christian advocacy charity Open Doors said: “Survivors of the attack said the killers made their hostages recite verses from the Koran
“Those who could were spared, while those unable to were killed.
“This latest attack, however, is the first concerted attack on foreigners, marking a major escalation in a campaign by militants.”
So far, it’s not clear if the plot was organised by ISIS in Syria, or developed locally in Bangladesh.
Over the last few years, Open Doors’ World Watch researchers have been observing the rise of extremism and terrorism against minorities in Bangladesh, including Christians.
Of the country’s 162million, 89 per cent population are Muslim with just 828,000 Christians.
Believers have been targeted for their faith on numerous occasions by extremist groups – on June 5, a 72-year-old Christian was murdered in the village of Bonpara, and in March, Christian evangelist Habib Alam was killed by members of ISIS.
There have also been reports of banned Islamist groups threatening to kill people who do not conform to their rules which include having a copy of the Koran, not allowing women to work and removing Christian sacred images from shops.
Thomas Muller, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, warned: “The increasingly volatile situation remains dangerous for the Christian minority.”
But despite the threat the Christian community is growing in size.
Pastor Faruk al Ahmed, a believer from a Muslim background, has been preaching the gospel in Kurigram in northern Bangladesh since the mid-1990s.
He said: ”When I began my ministry in Kurigram, there was only one traditional Christian family and one Muslim background family.
“Now, almost 1,500 believers from Muslim backgrounds are glorifying God in this area.”
But these Christians are beginning to attract danger from Islamist terrorists.
Since November 2015, dozens of Christian pastors in Bangladesh have received death threats from extremists – including recently murdered Habib Alam, who was Pastor Faruk’s first convert….

Kepha says
Old Scratch must really be getting worried. Here is this article about Bangladesh, where Christian leaders quoted seem to have come from Muslim backgrounds. At the same time, Chairman Xi’s China threatens the young that their profession of Christianity will keep them out of college; while in the West liberal judges seem to gleefully go after Christians who don’t want to celebrate the LGBT movement.
Mazo says
Those Swedish Protestant missionaries thought they were making progress when they converted several (retroactively given the name Uyghur) Turkic Muslims in their Kashgar mission.
Then “Uyghur” Islamists led by the Bughra brothers and Isa Alptekin declared the Islamic Republic of East Turkestan in 1933.
Converts were converted to corpses. Bughra tortured the Swedes until the British extracted them and no mssionaries were left there.
The script used to write “Uyghur” was reformed by linguists in the 50’s to fit the language better and was taught in all schools.
It also rendered all the Bible translations done by the Swedes before 1933 completely useless.
The French Catholic missionaries thought they were making progress in Yunnan when they converted some Tibetans.
Then the British invaded Lhasa in 1904 and caused Tibwtans to hate the west.
Then in 1905 the western hating Tibetan Lamas massacred all the converts and tortured the French missionaries to death.
Now there are a couple of empty mission buildings there.
Isa Alptekin testified before the US Congress and was hailed as an anti communist hero. He cursed Armenians and was friends with fascist CIA backed Grey Wolves Turkish leader Alparslan Türkeş.
Angemon says
What does that have to do with what Kepha wrote?
Kepha says
The Christians have poached previously Hui preserves, too.
gravenimage says
Mazo wrote:
Converts were converted to corpses.
……………………..
Once again, the appalling Mazo is sneering at his coreligionists butchering Christians. *Ugh*.
Mazo says
Again the supporters of military coups and the grey wolves have nothing to say on what they advocated for decades during the Cold War. You would have told everyone Alptekin was a hero and accused anyone saying otherwise of being a communist subversive.
Angemon says
Mazo posted:
“Again the supporters of military coups and the grey wolves have nothing to say on what they advocated for decades during the Cold War.”
Exactly who are you accusing? Please name names, point fingers and back it with evidence.
“You would have told everyone Alptekin was a hero and accused anyone saying otherwise of being a communist subversive.”
Speculation, etc.
Western Canadian says
“Then the British invaded Lhasa in 1904 and caused Tibwtans to hate the west.”
Whenever the West entered into muslim lands, it was to fight back. Get used to it, and when it happens in the near future, die like the hate mongering pig (apologies to real pigs) you are.
eduardo odraude says
Kepha,
Chinese government doctors are in the human organ harvesting business. Two Nobel Prize nominees have shown that Chinese government hospitals are murdering tens of thousands of people each year. Who are they murdering? Falon Gong members and Christians for their organs, because there is huge money in the transplant business, and because Falon Gong and Christians (House Christians, not the official pseudo-Christians) are independent of the state. Falon Gong’s slogan is Tolerance, Compassion, Truth. This is a big threat to the communist Chinese government, which survives on lies.
To see the investigative work of the Nobel nominees, have a look at this video trailer of their documentary:
See https://vimeo.com/ondemand/humanharvestdoc
Mazo says
Hello Falun Gong spammer. Explain to evangelical Christians on how your beliefs in aliens and telekinesis are compatible with Christianity and how spamming pro FLG posts on the Internet gives you extra Karma points for Dharma.
And explain why real anti-communist dissidents like Harry Wu think Falun Gong are massive liars and your allegations are all fake especially since he was locked for years in a hard labor camp.
gravenimage says
The appalling Mazo wrote:
Hello Falun Gong spammer. Explain to evangelical Christians on how your beliefs in aliens and telekinesis are compatible with Christianity…
………………………..
More attempts to divide and conquer. Christians are not out murdering members of Falun Gong, and Falun Gong Members are not out butchering Christians.
Would that we could say the same of Mazo’s vicious coreligionists.
Falun Gong members live peacefully and free to practice their beliefs in the free West. It does not matter whether Christians personally share those beliefs or not.
But then, as a Mohammedan, Mazo has no conception of freedom of religion.
Mazo says
Again the supporters of military coups and the Grey Wolves have nothing to say on what they advocated for decades during the Cold War. You would have told everyone Alptekin was a hero and accused anyone saying otherwise of being a communist subversive.
Gun control is heavy in South Korea and Taiwan and only morons claim its a communist plot.
Angemon says
Mazo posted:
“Again the supporters of military coups and the grey wolves have nothing to say on what they advocated for decades during the Cold War.”
Exactly who are you accusing? Please name names, point fingers and back it with evidence.
“You would have told everyone Alptekin was a hero and accused anyone saying otherwise of being a communist subversive.”
Speculation, etc.
Dom107 says
If all these massacres are nothing to do with Islam why are they happening all over the world?
Bangladesh isn’t involved in Syria or Iraq so the only reason can be extreme hatred, intolerance and sadism towards others who even slightly disagree with their evil practice of ISLAM
Angemon says
What difference does it make?
DP111 says
Yup.That is what H Clinton would say as well
gravenimage says
DP111, Angemon meant they are all pious Muslims.
mike ryan says
Such persecution will only strengthen the resolve of the oppressed; and it will make more and more Muslims question their faith.
Oppression rarely works. It is also a sign of weakness and fear on the oppressor’s side.
Islam’s days are numbered, and its values are found lacking.
Michael.405 says
This is horrible how can the west sit by and just watch the innocent be killed
Western Canadian says
Because the western political elites, have been very heavily influenced by hard left memes.
Tater Salad says
And a lot of muslim oil money has greased a lot of politicians palms.
Gary says
“Simon Peter answered him,
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
Psssst. I’ll give you a hint…….
It wasn’t Mohammad!!
Manuele says
Hey Gary PSSST. I SEE THE HUMOR IN HOW YOU SAID IT. AND PSSST MAY GOD BLESS THE BANGLADESHANS CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY. AND BLESSED BE GOD FOREVER.
Debi Brand says
My heart, my love, my thoughts, my prayers and my respect are with these, undoubtedly, precious in the sight of God courageous souls.