Attackers burn elderly woman for her conversion

Attackers burn elderly woman for her conversion

DHAKA, Bangladesh — Unknown attackers tried to burn a 70-year-old woman to death Jan. 7 after learning that she would be baptized as a Christian. Rahima Beoa, who was planning to be baptized Feb. 13 in Muslim-majority Rangpur district, suffered burns over 70 percent of her body.

“The unknown people wanted to burn alive the elderly woman because they came to know that she would be a Christian in the next month,” said Khaled Mintu, regional district supervisor of the Isha-E-Jamat Bangladesh church. “It was a devilish conspiracy to stop her being a Christian.” Beoa is mother-in-law of Ashraful Islam, who along with his wife became a Christian two years ago. Close relatives and neighbors were said to be angry with the couple for their conversion from Islam.