'Very Challenging For Minorities': Bangladesh Christian Leader Amid Spate Of Attacks, Unrest

'Very Challenging For Minorities': Bangladesh Christian Leader Amid Spate Of Attacks, Unrest Nirmal Rozario said the situation for Christians in Bangladesh is “very challenging,” citing over 2,000 incidents of violence and repeated attacks on churches since August 5. Nirmal Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association and a member of the Minority Unity Front, has said that the situation for Christians and other minority communities in Bangladesh has become “very challenging," following a surge in violent incidents, including attacks on churches and the brutal lynching of a Hindu factory worker. Speaking to CNN-News18, Rozario condemned recent violence targeting religious minorities and places of worship, warning that extremist groups were disturbing the secular fabric of Bangladesh. Recommended Stories Referring to an incident that took place near the National Council of Churches, Rozario said miscreants targeted a church compound despite the presence of police. “We condemned the incident. What happened yesterday is in front of the National Council of Churches," he said, adding that the route where violence occurred houses multiple Christian institutions, including the Church of Bangladesh, a Christian Religious Order Trust, and the Bible Society. Rozario said he personally visited the site and confirmed a fatality. “I visited yesterday, and there I found that one person has died. He was not from the Christian community, he was from the Muslim community," he said, alleging that the attackers were “basically targeting the church compound and the church area." When asked whether any arrests had been made, Rozario said there was no confirmation so far. “Not yet. A number of police were in the occurrence place, and also police were in the church compound for security purposes," he said. The conversation then turned to the broader issue of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh over the past year. Rozario said the situation had deteriorated significantly, especially after August 5. “For the minority community, it is very challenging now," he said. Citing the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka, around 80 kilometres from Dhaka, Rozario said the incident had deeply shaken minority communities. “Dipu Chandra Das was brutally killed," he said. “I think you have seen the picture, how he has been killed and hanged," he added. Rozario said the violence was not an isolated incident. “Since August 5, here in Bangladesh, more than 2,000 incidents happened," he said, adding that several of these involved killings and attacks on religious institutions. He mentioned attacks on a church, a school in Mamadpur, and the Ramnath Cathedral Church, saying, “They were attacked, and we are very worried about it." Asked about who was behind these attacks, Rozario said the groups involved had not been clearly identified. “It has not been identified. It is an extremist group," he said. He alleged that these extremist elements viewed Christian social work as a threat. “They don’t like to see Christianity," he said, adding that there was a misconception that Christian charitable work was aimed at conversion. “Actually, the Christians are not converting like that. The Christians are working...

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