BANGLADESH: PRAY FOR PASTOR SIRAJUL

Pastor Sirajul in Bangladesh was asleep when the knock came at his door. It was 10pm on 25 September, and Pastor Sirajul wasn’t expecting any visitors.

​​“Why are you knocking on my door this late at night?” he asked, when he opened the door and saw a group of about 30 people standing there. “Everyone is sleeping.”

“We want Sirajul,” they said. “He must come with us.”

Image: Pastor Sirajul

Christians targeted by extremists

Pastor Sirajul is a convert from Islam, and local Muslim extremists have been targeting Christians from a Muslim background. Recent unrest in Bangladesh has exacerbated this persecution, with Christians among the vulnerable minorities who have seen an escalation in unwanted attention. In Sirajul’s region, these Muslim extremists have a tactic: they invite Christians to come to the mosque for prayers, to expose those who have left Islam.

Earlier that day, around 2pm, some Muslim religious leaders had approached Pastor Sirajul and invited him to Namaz, an Islamic prayer. At the time, they had seemed friendly. Pastor Sirajul respectfully declined and went on his way. He did not expect this malicious consequence. 

Pastor Sirajul refused to go with the people on his doorstep. “Why do you want me? Where will I go with you at this hour?” he said. “We don’t have any business with you. Please go away and do not disturb us at night.” 

​Immediately the group lashed out and one of them yelled, “If you do not come with us wherever we want you to come, we will kill you, understand?”

“They are plotting to attack me”

​Pastor Sirajul’s wife and children heard the threat, and were terrified. “When my daughter and son heard the man saying he would kill me, they started crying,” he says. “My wife started shouting at the group and this made other neighbours come out of their homes and towards us.”

​With multiple witnesses approaching the scene, the group left them alone. But, while leaving, one of them shouted a final death threat – saying it could come ‘any place, any time’.

​“If the villagers hadn’t come out, then the perpetrators would’ve abducted me and killed me,” says Pastor Sirajul. “I felt very unprotected. Today, I got a warning message from someone I know who said they – the group of Muslim extremists – are plotting to attack me.”

​Open Doors partners exploring how to help

​“After the incidents, the family phoned us and asked us to pray for their safety and protection. We have been praying for them,” says a local Open Doors partner, “We are looking into the situation and keeping regular contact with the family. We are prepared to offer any emergency support.”

​After reporting the incident to the police, thankfully the officers spoke to local religious leaders and the perpetrators were rebuked. A few nights later, the perpetrators came to Pastor Sirajul’s house again – this time to apologise for what they’d done. Please pray for continuing peace between communities.