The rescuers of Christian children taken captive by Islamic traffickers in Bangladesh are being accused of forcefully converting the children to Christianity.
Last July, International Christian Concern (ICC) representatives discovered that Christian children in impoverished communities were being targeted for trafficking to radical Islamic training centers, called madrassas.
“The children were abused and forced to convert to Islam,” says an ICC source. “The madrassa leaders even changed [the children’s] Christian names to Muslim ones so when they were searched for they could not be found. We believe the children were destined to be used in suicide squads for jihad.”
The radical Muslims are now leveling threats and false accusations toward the children’s rescuers, who are now caring for the children. Despite the fact that the children were forcefully converted from Christianity to Islam in the madrassas, the children are viewed by their Islamic captors as Muslims for life.
Since their rescue, the children have actively practiced their Christian faith and have had their needs met by sponsors. Because of this care and protection, the Muslims are accusing the rescuers of forcefully converting the children to Christianity and offering bribes for their reconversion.
“Most Christian missionaries are converting people by offering money among the poor people to give them a leg up,” says Nizampuri, a leader in the radical Islamic political group Hefazat-e-Islam, as reported by World Watch Monitor. “Once the poor people take money, the missionaries put pressure on them to be converted.”
Laughable as this is, Islamic radicals are quite serious in their attempts to regain custody of the children and are threatening the rescuers.
“The madrassa leaders came to know about the involvement of Christians in the rescue. They know about our involvement. I am scared and trying to be careful,” says an ICC contact.
Despite the threats, those who care for the children press ever forward, saying, “This is our life, and we have to do whatever is possible to care for the children under this circumstance.”
Corey Bailey, regional manager for ICC in Asia, says, “While the prime minister of Bangladesh states that every religion has the right to practice freely and fairly, the government has not done enough to protect the vulnerable Christian minority. In each of these incidents, the traffickers and madrassa leaders have operated with impunity, which has only served to embolden radical Muslims and other opportunists.
“Until they are held accountable for their actions and accusations, religious minorities in Bangladesh, including Christians, will continue to be targeted for their faith. No one should live in fear of reprisal simply for exercising their rights to religious freedom,” Bailey concludes.
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