Christian Mother and Daughter Gang-Raped by Muslims in Bangladesh

By Jeremy Reynalds
Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

WASHINGTON D.C. ANS — A Christian mother and her teenage daughter have been gang- raped by three Muslim men at their home in Uttar Som, Bangladesh.

Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern ICC reported in a news release that the attack on Shima D. Silva, and her 14-year-old daughter, Bituni, resulted in the death of the teen’s death a few days after the attack

According to ICC, earlier this year, three Muslim men began harassing Bituni on her way to St. Mary’s High school in Toomilia.

When Bitunis mother discovered this, she filed a report with the local Kaliganj Police Station. ICC said that for the report to be verified, it was necessary for the officer in charge at the police station to sign it. After Shima completed the report, the officer examined it and handed it back, but did not sign it.

ICC said that Shima was confused about the officer not signing the report and told a local official, who ICC reported did nothing. When the three alleged attackers learned that Shima had reported them to the police, they became very upset and harassed Bituni even more.

ICC said that on April 30, after Shima and Bituni had finished dinner, they were disturbed by their dogs barking outside. When Shima went outside to see what was disturbing the dogs, she found a “gang” of Muslim men waiting. While most of them remained outside, the three men who had been harassing her daughter forced her back into her home at gunpoint.

According to ICC, once inside the three men raped Shima and then locked her in the bathroom. Shima eventually managed to free herself, and found that her daughter had also been raped and poisoned. The men finally left the house at four o’clock the next morning, telling Shima they would kill the family if she told anyone. Extremely fearful, Shima decided not to tell her husband.

Three hours later, Shima rushed her poisoned daughter to Fortune Hospital and called her James husband on the way. He had been at work.

ICC said the three rapists had remained close to the house, and followed the women to the hospital. When James arrived, however, the three men left. After examining Bituni, the hospital referred the Silvas to Dhaka Medical Hospital. Because Dhaka was so far away and Bituni was getting worse, the Silvas decided to stop at a different hospital on the way to Dhaka. Sadly, it was too late. The doctor there declared Bituni dead.

According to ICC, the Silvas returned to their home and asked the parish priest for their daughters death certificate, so she could be buried in the local Catholic graveyard.

ICC said that on May 5, James went to the local Kaliganj Police Station and filed a police case under the Women and Children Repression Act. Police have not yet taken action against the rapists.

ICC reported that this was the second gang-rape against Christians in Bangladesh in one week. On May 2, Muslim villagers gang-raped the 13-year-old daughter of Pastor Motilal Das in Laksmipur village, Mymensingh district.

ICC exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. The group delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the United States regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the U.S. State Department.