Written by: http://barnabasfund.org
Country: SOUTH AND EAST ASIA, BANGLADESH
An evangelist who was jailed for causing a disturbance by selling and distributing Christian literature near a major Muslim gathering in Bangladesh has been cleared on appeal.
Biplob Marandi (25) was sentenced to a year in prison on 28 February following his arrest near Bishwa Ijtema (Muslim World Congregation) on the banks of the Turag River near Tongi town on 21 January.
But last week the judge reviewing an appeal of the case cleared Biplob, a seminary graduate, and ordered that he be released.
Biplob's lawyer, Lensen Swapon Gomes, said:
Some fundamentalist Muslims became very angry with him for selling the Christian books near a Muslim gathering, so they harassed him by handing [him] over... His release proves that he was innocent and that he did not create any trouble at the Muslim gathering.
Mr Gomes argued at the appeal hearing that Biplob's activities were protected by the country's constitution, which upholds religious freedom. The evangelist had not been given the opportunity to defend himself at the original trial.
Biplob's release was heartily welcomed by his older brother, the Rev. Sailence Marandi, a church pastor in northern Thakurgaon district.
He had previously said that there was no altercation when his brother was distributing literature and questioned how one man could disturb a gathering of hundreds of thousands of Muslims.
Rev. Marandi said, "I am... delighted because my brother's release proves that he was very innocent and polite."
Barnabas Aid partners from a Christian literature distribution project in Bangladesh have been monitoring the case and praying for Biplob's release. Our contact said on Tuesday (5 April), "Praise God that now Biplob [is] at home."
Bishwa Ijtema attracts millions of male Muslims from around the world; they attend the event, which is held over several days, to pray and listen to Islamic scholars. At the same event in 2009, Muslim pilgrims beat and threatened to kill a Bible school student who was distributing Christian literature.
The Bangladeshi government publicly supports freedom of religion, but Christians suffer discrimination and violence at the hands of Muslim and Buddhist extremists. The country is dominated by Islam; nearly 90 per cent of its population are Muslims, while Christians comprise less than one per cent.
Reprinted with permission from Barnabas Fund
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