BANGLADESH

On July 29th, two Christians, Tapan Kumar Roy and Liplal Marandi, were hacked to death in a place about 150 kilometers from the capital. They worked for Christian Life Bangladesh (CLB). Along with educational films on arsenic poisoning, mother-and-child health care and AIDS prevention, they often showed the JESUS film at the invitation of local villagers. A well-known Christian leader familiar with the two evangelists said an official at a local madrassa (Islamic school) had threatened the men verbally prior to the murders. Some villagers had also threatened to kill Roy and Marandi if they continued to show the JESUS film. Police arrested a man named Monir Hossain in connection with the murders, which they are still investigating. Bangladesh is facing an overall deterioration in human rights, both for the Muslims who form 83 percent of the population and for religious minorities. Police and local officials believe Islamic extremists most likely were responsible for the murders.

Pray God will comfort the families of Roy and Marandi and they will experience His faithfulness anew every morning. Pray the Christians in this area will forgive whoever attacked these men. Pray the Holy Spirit will move throughout Bangladesh, bringing His peace to stop the senseless strife.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

On the morning of April 14th, four drivers of four different buses were hired by a militant Muslim group to crash into the SUV of our VOM contact, Andrew. On his way to visit 17 Muslim convert families, Andrew was rammed by a bus while in the front passenger seat of his moving vehicle. Immediately after the collision, the bus driver ran from the scene and reported to the leader of the hiring Islamic group that he killed the targeted Christian preacher in the red SUV. Andrew's left elbow was broken from the impact, and his right forearm was embedded with glass and severely lacerated in five places. Wasting no time, two men from the Islamic group went to the accident site to confirm the bus driver's account, but they were too late. Andrew's driver had already driven the smashed SUV away from the scene to the nearest city, where Andrew, unconscious, was later admitted to a government hospital. The Voice of the Martyrs is providing continuing medical treatment for Andrew, who was attacked for his Christian witness.

Pray the Lord will heal Andrew quickly and completely. Pray Andrew will continue bold and courageous in his faith. Pray our omnipotent Father will astound the bus driver with the reality of His presence and the loving forgiveness of Jesus.

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

Islamic Extremists Face Death for Killing Christian - Compass Direct
A court in Bangladesh has sentenced two Islamic extremists to death for murdering Dr. Abdul Gani Gomes, a Christian convert from Islam, in September 2004. Gomes, 48, was returning from work in the northern town of Duyanipur in Jamalpur district when four militants, including the two convicted men, jumped him and, in their words, "hacked him to death." Hafez Mahmud and Mohammad Salauddin are leading figures in the banned Islamic militant group Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), according to a BBC report. Both men confessed to killing Gomes on the order of JMB leader Shaikh Abdur Rahman. JMB members said they resented Gomes because he had encouraged other Muslims to convert to Christianity. "I am happy that I killed him," Salauddin told reporters as he emerged from the courtroom. Compass sources said Gomes' wife, Shahnaz Parvin, also a Christian convert, was present at the trial. In front of the judges, the killers said they would kill her also if she did not convert back to Islam. Mahmud and Salauddin also threatened Judge Shaheed Noor Uddin, saying their "own" court had already sentenced the judge to death for passing down a guilty verdict. Pray for the Lord's mercy on the murderers and they repent and worship Him. Pray for protection from evil for Gomes' wife Shanhnaz, and Judge Shaheed Noor Uddin. Luke 23:40-4

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.

VOM Workers Request Prayer - VOM Sources
VOM workers in Bangladesh ask for prayer as Bangladesh has been plunged into political chaos. Elections scheduled for January 22 have been postponed and the president has stepped down as interim leader shortly after declaring a state of emergency following 10 weeks of street protests which killed 45 and injured hundreds. Bangladesh faces political instability. "There are now widespread fears that the political order could break down, leading to either a military government or yet more space for hardliner Islamist groups," a VOM source said. Pray for peace to prevail in Bangladesh and for God's protection upon believers in the midst of political chaos. Isaiah 26:3

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"The conversion of the entire population to Islam and the extinction of every form of dissent is the ideal of the Muslim State - This is Islamic Peace"

A moderate Moslem is one who sends others blow themselves up.