'I could never deny Christ'—Bangladeshi Christians stand firm as persecution escalates

As violence, rejection and pressure intensify, Bangladeshi believers are choosing faithfulness to Jesus—no matter the cost.

“I could not turn away from the One who saved me.”—Anis*

“God gave me the courage to tell my father I could never deny Christ.” —Ripon*

“I will not compromise my 27 years of faith.” —Anish*

These words of resilience and faithfulness come from Christians in Bangladesh who find themselves under increasing pressure to defend themselves and their decision to follow Jesus.

The recent stories our local partners in Bangladesh are reporting are difficult. But as we learn about the threats, attacks and forced displacement from home and community, we’re also meeting courageous believers who show us what it looks like to be faithful in crisis.

Meet Anis, Ripon and Anish

Anis. Our field recently introduced us to Anis, a former Muslim and now local evangelist who has served Christ for the last 10 years through the ministry of one of Open Doors’ local partners. Over the years, he and his family have faced varying degrees of pressure for their faith. But since June 10, the situation has escalated significantly—forcing him from his home and separating him from his family.

The recent pressure began when Anis was called to a meeting by local Muslim leaders who threatened to expel his family from their village if he didn’t renounce his faith in Christ and return to Islam. Anis firmly refused.

“I could not deny the Lord,” he later shared. “I could not turn away from the One who saved me.” Unable to return to his community, Anis is currently safe, staying in town with another believer. But that means he’s separated from his wife and son. Still, he remains committed to serving the Lord and encouraging fellow believers.

“I know that God is watching over my family under His wings, and even my 10-year-old son has a faith that will not be shaken by any storm,” he says, adding that the separation is a challenge. “As a father, my heart is in great pain because I cannot be with them during this difficult time. I also know that our Father in Heaven sees everything that is happening.”

Ripon was the first believer in his Buddhist family. He met Jesus three years ago and has grown into a local youth evangelist. Although he initially faced severe pressure from his family, God transformed the hearts of his parents, sister and wife. However, his Buddhist-majority community in southeastern Bangladesh has been a different story.

When the locals first learned that Ripon had become a Christian, they immediately pressured him to abandon his faith. They warned him that Christians were not welcome in their village and told him he would not be allowed to continue living there if he continued. Ripon refused to renounce his faith, explaining that every person has the right to choose his own religion.

When community leaders realized they couldn’t persuade him, they threatened to expel the whole family. Ripon recalls one of his most painful moments: “When they pressured my father, he came to me and said that if I did not renounce Christ, he would kill himself, and I would have to walk over his body to leave the house. Hearing those words broke my heart. But God gave me the courage to tell my father that I could never deny Christ. At the same time, I told him that I would never leave him because the Bible teaches me to honor my parents.”

Looking back today, Ripon smiles as he remembers how God transformed his father's heart. “Now, when I look back, I would say my father is an even better believer than I am. He encourages me to attend church regularly, and whenever I travel for ministry or seminars, he lovingly takes care of my two daughters.”

Last month, local Buddhist monks called a village meeting. Once again, Ripon was pressured to renounce his faith and to stop organizing youth meetings.

“I was actually happy that the meeting took place because now almost everyone in the village knows there is someone called Jesus,” he says. “They may not know Him yet, but at least they have heard His name. I believe this will make it easier for me to speak with them about Him in the future.”

Anish. In southwestern Bangladesh, Anish left Islam and embraced faith in Christ 27 years ago. Over his long journey with Jesus, he and his family have faced significant pressure. But recently, the opposition has increased, even turning into death threats. A couple months ago, a group of 10 to 15 Islamic leaders came to Anish’s house early in the morning. Armed with knives and sticks, they pounded on the door, demanding that he come out. Anish quickly called a police officer he knew.

The conflict had been building ever since Anish boldly shared his faith in a public discussion and refused to deny Christ in front of at least 10 Muslim leaders. Like the apostle Paul before the Sanhedrin, Anish explained why Jesus is the only way to salvation and why the Bible is his only truth. Despite their challenges, they could not budge Anish, even a little, from his faith. He remained firm and unshaken.

Since the incident at his home, Anish’s family has faced threats, social media harassment against his son, and eviction from their rented home. The family has restricted their movement, and Anish has sent his older son to stay with relatives in a safer place. His younger son, 13, has stopped attending school due to fear. Anish is unable to work and remains inside the house with his wife and their infant son.

Despite this, Anish remains firm in his faith and continues to trust in God’s protection

“I will not compromise my 27 years of faith even for 27 seconds, even if I have to die for it,” he says. “Only God can ensure my security, as He has been doing for me and my family for the past 27 years, and I know He will continue. I know the risk has not decreased but has increased, and I also believe that the greater the odds, the greater God’s provision for me.”

Growing Islamization

Right now, persecution against Christians is growing in Bangladesh, as extremists increasingly act openly. The social climate across the nation is changing. Since the country’s political changes of August 2024, religious influence in public life has become more visible. Religious slogans, public expressions of faith and the growing influence of Islamist political parties have become increasingly noticeable across the country. Kalema Tayyiba flags (featuring the Islamic declaration of faith: “There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”) can be seen across the country on roads, bridges, flyovers and in public processions.

Some observers are concerned that organized groups may be using religious symbols to promote more hardline ideological agendas, as some of these flags resemble imagery historically used by internationally recognized extremist groups. Similar black flags with white Arabic script have been widely used by extremist groups such as al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group, and Boko Haram.

For many Christian believers and other religious minorities, the issue is not merely symbolic. They already live under social pressure, intimidation, and discrimination because of their faith. When symbols that resemble internationally recognized extremist imagery become increasingly visible in public spaces, some minorities fear that the environment is becoming less welcoming and less secure.

An Open Doors local partner reports his observations: “The fears of the religious minority are gradually becoming obvious and true. Pressure for Islamization is growing ... Islamic religious-based institutions, like the madrassa (Islamic schools), are playing strong roles to influence and propagate it. They are such a big number of people who are spread all over the country; it is quite impossible to control them. The ruling government also seems not to be interested in dealing with this matter.”

Pray with Anis, Ripon and Anish

Through your prayers and gifts, Open Doors’ local partners are able to be present with Anis, Ripon and Anish, standing alongside them and their families and ministries in prayer and bringing emergency support, equipping and empowering them to stand firm in their faith.

*Representative names and images used for security reasons