BANGLADESH: Surge in anti-Christian attacks and discrimination

AN alarm has been sounded about increased violence and oppression of Christians in Bangladesh – with a well-placed source warning of worse to come.

The future of Catholic schools is under threat, Church construction projects are delayed, and Christians often struggle to find work in Bangladesh, according to a Church source who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons.

Speaking with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the source said that Catholic schools and universities have been targeted by mobs “controlled by Jamaat-e-Islami”, an Islamist political party with ties to the government.

The ACN contact added that “a mob of Islamist extremists has set fire to a Catholic school and completely burnt down some of the classrooms”, and others have been putting increasing pressure on Catholic institutions to replace the people in charge.

He said: “Their goal is to take over the administration of the school.

“They are demanding an Islamic dress code – the hijab for girls and caps for boys.”

The source went on to say that in a number of schools “religious administrators have been forced to resign” – adding that “in one [Catholic] school, two Sisters have been forced to step down.

“At a university, a priest has been forced to quit.”

ACN’s contact highlighted that the Church has set up an interfaith committee of legal experts and other leaders who have been instrumental in helping Christian communities “maintain a peaceful situation” and “appeal for justice”.

He said that religious freedom – despite being guaranteed by the constitution – is not being respected, and “the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami party wants Islam to be the only religion in Bangladesh…

“The list of holidays has recently changed, and more Islamic feasts have become national holidays.”

He added that Easter “is not even listed properly as a holiday”, and Christians “have to go to work and students have to sit exams, so they cannot attend Mass and other celebrations”.

The source explained that Christians cannot find employment in some parts of the country, and “the authorities are also making it difficult for us to construct new chapels”, failing to issue permissions on time.

ACN’s help in Bangladesh includes construction projects – such as schools, churches, monasteries and convents – and training programmes for catechists who often assist village leaders with public administration and management duties, according to the source.

The charity’s contact concluded: “Priests also receive Mass stipends from ACN.

“This is much needed, because income in many areas is very low, and Mass collection is very little, very little.

“God bless ACN for your help.”