Bangladesh: Christian mother and daughter killed

In a deeply distressing incident, a young mother and daughter were targeted by a bomb attack in the middle of the night. While Shilpi (30) and her 5-year old daughter, Supria, were asleep at night, someone threw a handmade bomb through an open window. The bomb exploded and fire quickly engulfed everything in the room. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 31.

Shilpi managed to escape from the burning room, and Supria was rescued with the help of neighbours. Shilpi’s husband, Ridoy, was not at home at that time as he was on night duty at a local garment factory.

Shilpi and Supria were both rushed to the local hospital for treatment. Shilpi suffered extensive burns while Supria was also badly injured. Both eventually succumbed to their injuries, leaving Ridoy completely broken and shattered at the loss.

“Now Ridoy is feeling completely hopeless, frustrated, depressed. He is in mourning, refusing to speak to anyone,” says Stephen Liton Halder, our field partner and uncle of Ridoy.

Stephen further believes this was an act of persecution. “The family are the only Christians in that area. Their neighbours know they are Christians. That area is known to have many religious extremists living there,” he says.

The incident has been reported to the police. They have visited the site and found the explosive materials. Since the incident took place after midnight, there were no eye-witnesses present to report information to the police. No one has been arrested so far.

But Ridoy fears for his safety. “Ridoy has gone back to his village. He is not sure when he can go back to work. He is afraid of harassment and interrogation from the police. Please pray for him, he is grieving,” says Stephen.

Bangladesh is at number 38 on the 2020 World Watch List, and Christians form a tiny minority in the country. They face immense pressure from radical Islamic groups, and are often threatened to recant their faith.

Please pray

1. Pray for God to comfort brother Ridoy Halder in his loss. Pray for him to find hope in Jesus. Pray for Jesus to speak to him in his heart in this time of tragedy.
2. Pray for his relatives, his friends and other believers to stand with him as he goes through the grieving process. Pray for Ridoy’s recovery that he may come back stronger in his faith in Christ.
3. Pray for the police that they will be able to find the culprit and justice would be carried out.