There has been a sharp rise in persecution towards Christians in Bangladesh following recent elections which saw Islamic parties secure their highest number of seats in the nation’s history.
While persecution was already trending upwards before the national vote, increased political power for Islamic parties appears to have “emboldened” Muslims further, leaving those belonging to minority religions, including Christianity, at increased risk of persecution unless perpetrators are held “accountable” by the authorities.
Religious leaders from minority faiths have spoken of increased fear as a growing number of hostile incidents are reported, including in areas which saw electoral gains for Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s main opposition party, as revealed by Open Doors.
