On Friday, 22 March 2024, 15-year-old Dudul, a boy from the northern part of Bangladesh, was persecuted, stripped bare, and beaten publicly by local Muslims because he is a Christian.
Four years ago, Dudul’s parents encountered the love of Jesus and converted from Islam to Christianity. Their Muslim neighbours have been furious ever since, finding every opportunity to place misery on the family, threatening to harm them if they do not renounce their faith in Jesus and return to Islam.
This family has gone through multiple persecution incidents, where they are mocked, isolated, publicly shamed, and physically hurt by various Muslim neighbours. Still, Dudul and his family remain fervent in their faith in Jesus.
Dudul: Stripped Bare, Publicly Humiliated, and Beaten
It was a sunny afternoon as Dudul walked toward their corn fields to check on the crops. Suddenly, a mob of young Muslim boys grabbed him and dragged him to a local political leader who had been leading mobs to target Dudul’s family. Immediately, the young men tied Dudul to a tree and undressed him bare in front of everyone who passed by. No one stopped the commotion, and instead, the onlookers began to watch and take photos and videos.
They began to falsely accuse Dudul of stealing a goat from a Muslim, stating that is why he was being punished. The mob planted false evidence for the onlookers, as there was an adult and baby goat already tied to the same tree Dudul was tied to.
The young mob began to brutally beat Dudul at the command of the local politician who also encouraged the onlookers to film the ‘punishment.’ No amount of pleading could stop this mob. The videos and photos were immediately posted on social media and went viral in the village.
Perpetrators Threaten Dudul’s Doctors
Dudul’s parents filed a case against the persecutors, and the local police found the incident to be true after visiting the spot and interviewing the witnesses and victims.
Dudul was immediately sent to a local clinic but had to relocate to another hospital because the perpetrators threatened the victims for complaining to the local police. They also threatened the doctors, forcing them to not provide any evidence of persecution.
Full of bruises and injuries, Dudul was very weak, mentally frustrated, and traumatised after such a brutal persecution.
Open Doors’ local partners are praying for the victim and have sent immediate support for his treatment. They have also visited Dudul at the hospital and will continue supporting the victim for treatment.
Pray for Dudul:
- Pray for the full and quick recovery of Dudul—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Pray that he will not have permanent injuries and that God will heal him of the trauma related to his persecution.
- Pray for Dudul’s parents and fellow church members, that they will support and encourage him to be strong to recover from the situation.
- Pray for the local authorities who are responsible for taking proper action against the persecutors. Pray that the authorities will not be biased and release the perpetrators without proper punishment.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
