WEA Goodwill Ambassador Warns About Attacks on Ahmadis in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh – World Evangelical Alliance Goodwill Ambassador Johan Candelin,
Finland, recently warned about possible upcoming attacks against Ahmadis in Bangladesh.

Says Candelin, "We must, as Christians, defend religious freedom for everyone. There is now very dangerous information about upcoming attacks on Ahmadis in Bangladesh."

The Ahmadis (about 100,000 in Bangladesh) do not necessarily believe that Mohammed was the last prophet. This has created a very hostile attitude in some Islamic groups.

Recently, 11 Ahmadis were seriously hurt in an attack 50 miles north of the capital Dhaka. The attitude among the majority population is changing more and more in a negative direction against the Ahmadis.

In a rally in Dhaka last year, about 5000 people rallied against them. "In a country with great economic and political problems, it is easy to find a group that will be labeled as dangerous and bad. This is now what seems to be happening to the Ahmadis in Bangladesh," says Candelin.

World Evangelical Alliance calls on religious freedom defenders from all backgrounds to contact the embassies and authorities of Bangladesh and to ask them to protect all religious minorities according to their constitution and agreements signed by the country.