Bangladesh and the conflict with Christian minorities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18537/puc.36.01.02Keywords:
religion, intolerance, persecution, christianity, BangladeshAbstract
The religious conflict in Bangladesh has severely impacted the Christian minority, which represents just 0.5% of the population. Although the country’s constitution promotes religious equality, the reality shows severe discrimination and persecution against Christians. Since Islam was declared the official religion in 1988, polarization has intensified, exacerbated by the rise of radical Islamist groups. Conversion to Christianity is seen as a cultural betrayal, which has led to social marginalization, employment difficulties, and physical attacks. During political and social crises, such as the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017 and the uprisings in 2024, attacks against Christians increased, including looting, home destruction, and death threats. Despite these challenges, the Christian community has played a key role in education and social assistance, promoting development and literacy. However, religious intolerance remains a structural problem in Bangladesh.
Downloads
References
Asia Democracy Chronicles. (2023, 17 de abril). The International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission is Shocked at the Death of Eight Indigenous Bawm Men and Expresses Deep Concern at Continued Human Rights Violations in the CHT. Asia Democracy Chronicles. https://adnchronicles.org/2023/04/17/the-international-chittagong-hill-tracts-commission-is-shocked-at-the-death-of-eight-indigenous-bawm-men-and-expresses-deep-concern-at-continued-human-rights-violations-in-the-cht/
Aslanova, I. (2022, 16 de diciembre). Análisis Situacional: Asia Libertad Religiosa y Étnica. ConnexUs. https://cnxus.org/es/resource/situational-analysis-asia-religious-ethnic-freedom/
Bagú, S. (1989). La idea de dios en la sociedad de los hombres. Siglo XX.
Balong, A. (2024, 11 de noviembre). La radicalización impulsa la discriminación y los ataques contra los cristianos. ACN International. https://acninternational.org/es/bangladesh-la-radicalizacion-impulsa-la-discriminacion-y-los-ataques-contra-los-cristianos/
FIDES. (2018, 22 de enero). ASIA/BANGLADESH - Los cristianos son discriminados en la sociedad, pero tiene un papel precioso. Agenzia fides. https://fides.org/es/news/63606BANGLADESH_Los_cristianos_son_discriminados_ en_la_sociedad_pero_tiene_un_papel_precioso
Grom, B. (1994). Psicología de la religión. Herder.
Jares, X. (2003). La educación para la paz y el aprendizaje para la convivencia. En M. Santos Guerra (Ed.), Aprender a vivir en la escuela (pp. 87-106). Akal.
Nurul Islam, K. (2011). Historical Overview of Religious Pluralism in Bengal. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 26-33.
OpenDoors. (2024, 27 de agosto). Political crisis leads to persecution of christians. OpenDoors. https://opendoors.org.nz/frontline-faith/bangladesh-political-crisis-leads-to-persecution-of-christians/
Prieto Sanchís, L. (2005). Religión y política (A propósito del Estado laico). Persona y Derecho, (53), 113-138.
PuertasAbiertas. (2024). Bangladés. PuertasAbiertas. https://www.puertasabiertas.org/es-ES/persecucion/lmp/banglades/
Racine, J. (2016, diciembre). El peligro yihadista se propaga por Bangladesh. Le Monde diplomatique en español. https://mondiplo.com/el-peligro-yihadista-se-propaga-por-bangladesh
Rockeach, M. (1960). The open and close mind. Basic Books.
Rockeach, M. (1973). Paradoxes of religious belief. En E. Aronson (Ed.), Social Psychology (pp. 169-172). Van Nostrand Company.
Saaduddin, K. (2011). Sociological Approach to Research on Religion: Bangladesh. Perspectives. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 19/25.
Shaikh Farid, M. (2011). Historical Sketch of the Christian Tradition in Bengal. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 72-76.
Tajfel, H. (1982). Social Identity and Intergroup Relations. University Press.
Tapan De Rozario, F. (2011). Christian Mission and Evangelization in Bangladesh. Bangladesh e-Journal of Sociology, 8(1), 77-88.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Manuel Oswaldo Suin Guaraca, Tatiana Cabrera Mogrovejo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright © Autors.
You are free to:
 |
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format |
 |
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. |
Under the following conditions:
 |
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licenser endorses you or your use. |
| NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. | |
| ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. |
| No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the licence permits. |
