Bangladesh: Christian boy sent home from school amid increasing pressure on converts
The pressure on Christian converts in Bangladesh continues to rise, as hateful content is proliferated on social media, and even young children as little as four years old are affected by anti-Christian sentiments. Readers are requested to pray for the well-being and resilience of church community in that region. It's important to mention that all names in this article have been altered to protect the safety and security of those involved.
Four-year-old Jahangir’s parents were shocked when their son returned home from school far too early. When they asked him why, Jahangir said his teacher had told him there was no space for him on the class bench.
He was too young to understand what had happened – in fact, he was overjoyed that he’d been given an unexpected day off – but Jahangir’s parents knew exactly why he’d been sent home. The next day, when they confronted his teacher, she said that : “If the boy comes to the school and sits with other students, then the other students might leave the school. They will not want to sit on the same bench with a Christian boy during classes.” She’d asked Jahangir to go home because she knew his parents had converted to Christianity.
Sadly, this is becoming a more common reality for many young Christians in Bangladesh – especially children in converted families. And it’s taking a toll on their physical and emotional health. The mistreatment and bullying they experience from their teachers and peers mean that many of them hide their faith and have trouble mingling with other children. They also lose interest in their studies and become withdrawn.
Parents struggle to know what to do without much support or awareness on how to deal with the problem. The advice they receive is often unhelpful; comments such as “Don’t think about it” or “You should endure it because you’re Christians, and persecution is a reality” add to the struggle. Many children are not able to fully embrace their Christian faith.
In October, a religious fundamentalist posted the personal information of 24 Christians on Facebook with provocative comments to protest their conversions. The post included believers’ names, family information, contact numbers, and baptism dates.
The social media post read: “I am fortunate to be born in a Muslim family, I am proud to be the follower of the world leader Rasul Kareem, the Holy Quran is my education and knowledge, which is my pride. I will fight if necessary to protect the religion of peace, Islam. But I will not allow […] religious conversion… I demand these Christians’ exemplary punishment. I expect strong protest from every Muslim.”
Immediately, the post went viral and stirred up anger in local non-Christians; Christians have been in a state of panic since the incident. They fear more persecution and attacks, especially when they go out as part of their daily routine.
“The news spread very quickly, and since this incident, I am afraid to go out freely,” says Pastor Parvin. “The other believers have limited their movements outside. Some of the believers have been stopped from going out of their homes by their non-believing family members.”
Of the 24 affected people, 18 were the members of Pastor Parvin’s church. He took this matter to the local police and, thankfully, was able to have the post taken down from Facebook.
