This is a critical time to pray for Bangladesh. This year, deeply rooted social and political tensions have been played out through nationwide protests, clashes between secular and Islamist groups, a controversial war crimes tribunal and an alarming number of attacks on the homes, businesses and places of worship of minority groups.

Hindus and Buddhists have felt the brunt of the most recent violence but Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims are also being badly affected. One leading Islamist group has campaigned for a Pakistan-style blasphemy law, and a ban on evangelistic activity.

CSW was in Bangladesh this May and we have been devoting more time and resources to work on the country ever since. There are strong, united minority voices speaking out, but all are uncertain about the country’s future beyond the elections at the end of 2013.

This week please:

• Pray that the elections scheduled for December 2013 – January 2014 would be peaceful;
• Pray for the Hifazat-e-Islam extremist groups whose charter endangers religious pluralism;
• Pray for peace as verdicts are issued in ongoing war crime trials for acts committed when Bangladesh separated from Pakistan;
• Ask God to bless CSW as we start laying foundations and building relationships for future work in Bangladesh;
• Pray for the Bangladesh Hindu/Buddhist/Christian Unity Council and their leaders;
• Pray for indigenous minorities in the centre of the country, and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, who are marginalised because of their religion and ethnicity;
• Ask God to protect and encourage independent activists working with vulnerable groups. Pray also that a new generation would rise up and take forward this work.