Sunday, May 22, 2005

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM INTERNATIONAL URGES BANGLADESH TO STOP THE PERSECUTION OF MUSLIM CONVERTS TO CHRISTIANITY

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

DHAKA, BANGLADESH (ANS) -- A U.S. based interdenominational human rights organization for religious liberty that helps persecuted Christians, has urged Bangladesh to stop the persecution of Muslim converts to Christianity.

In a story released by U.S. Newswire, Jim Jacobson, the International President of Christian Freedom International, is quoted as saying, “Serious attacks on converts to Christianity by Islamic extremists are increasing. The Bangladesh government is doing nothing to stop the persecution of these Christians.”

The U.S. Newswire story continues, “On a recent fact-finding trip to Bangladesh, Christian Freedom International found increasing evidence of persecution targeting Muslim converts to Christianity.

“For example, Kumkum Roy and Shahanaz Alam are living at an undisclosed safe house of a Christian Freedom International coworker in Dhaka.

“Their whereabouts cannot be revealed as they would face severe bodily harm or even death.

“Kumkum Roy is concerned that an attempt will be made to kidnap her and take her back to the man who initially abducted, beat, and raped her. She is afraid that this time she will be killed.”

“Kumkum Roy's situation is all too common in Bangladesh, where women who have converted to Christianity are abducted, beat, raped, and forced to marry and reconvert to Islam,” said Jacobson.

The story goes on to say that because of her conversion to Christianity, Shahanaz Alam cannot return to her home. “She has received death threats from neighbors and is desperately seeking a permanent, safe place to live,” the story states. “Local police fail to do anything to help these women.

“Peter A. Khaleque, a former Bangladeshi police officer who converted to Christianity, is now working as a pastor. He is facing a possible prison sentence on trumped-up charges because he shared his faith with a Muslim driver. He is concerned that if he is sentenced to prison his unprotected 12 year old Christian daughter will be abducted, raped, beaten, and forced to marry and convert to Islam.”

Written testimonials and digital pictures of each of the aforementioned individuals can be obtained by contacting Christian Freedom International.

For more information or interviews, contact Christian Freedom International at 540-636-8907 or visit online at www.christianfreedom.org.