Islamic militants have murdered a Christian man in Bangladesh, ambushing him as he was taking a morning walk.
Open Doors USA reports Hossain Ali, 65, was a former Muslim who had converted to Christianity in 1999.
Ali suffered persecution over the years after he became a follower of Jesus. Converts from Islam are often rejected by their families, and under Islamic law, conversion from Islam can be a crime punishable by death.
Ali had been a “freedom fighter” at the time of his conversion, and his own wife had tied him up and held him captive for three days in an attempt to force him to deny Christ.
He later faced more persecution from his family, and was even denied a salary for several months in his job as a government health worker.
But Ali never backed down.
“Amazingly, his faithfulness inspired his entire family to eventually embrace Christ,” Open Doors reports.
On March 22, Ali was violently targeted as he walked along a road. Three people attacked him with a firebomb and sharp weapons, killing him on the spot.
Open Doors is asking Christians around the world to pray for comfort for Ali’s family and for safety for other believers in Bangladesh.
Fellow Christians there are concerned they could face an escalation in persecution from Islamic extremists.
