Bangladesh (MNN) — In 1988, an amendment to the Bangladeshi constitution established Islam as the state religion. Muslims make up about 90 percent of the population.
FMI is a ministry with a specific focus in Bangladesh because it is the world’s third-largest Muslim majority nation. A Gospel worker who used to work with FMI says the amendment has caused minority groups concern.
The worker says, “When you have a majority, they already have the advantage of population. They already have the advantage of over-representation in the houses of government. I think this kind of amendment can just set it over the top. It can make officials and bureaucrats feel justified in giving certain privileges and advantages (kind of under the table) to those who are a part of what’s declared as the state religion.”
A difficult choice
Many in minority religious groups want better representation, or even to have the amendment removed from the constitution. Read more here.
But the worker says Bangladeshi Christians face a difficult choice in this regard: “That’s a much more difficult situation outside of Western countries. If you raise your voice, you may or may not be heard. You may or may not be persecuted and further oppressed. So pray for Christians that they would have wisdom. Should they protest? Or should they just try to live in the grace of God in the current situation as it is?”
The Holy Spirit isn’t restrained by the Bangladeshi government or any other. Ask God to build His Kingdom powerfully through the churches in Bangladesh.
Header photo courtesy of jorono via Pixabay.
