William Gomes

A group of men, perhaps from military intelligence, threatened him. They also accused him that he had been corrupted by Pakistani intelligence and the opposition to discredit the government and the military. William Gomes, a Muslim convert to Christianity, works for Asian Human Rights Commission. He also runs a humanitarian organisation called Christian Development Alternative.

The sisters of the contemplative missionary movement of Fr. de Foucauld search slums for needy and sick. Young Muslim mother: "With medicines, physiotherapy and their love, my daughter is getting better."

The 42-year-old man was arrested by police right away. After enduring the violent assault, the girl told her parents everything. Rape charges against the religious leader have been filed. “I want justice,” father says.

Opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia is expelled from her home, sparking protests in the capital and elsewhere. Dozens of people are injured. The former prime minister had been living in the house for the past 30 years.

More than a hundred religious leaders meet to exchange and engage in dialogue as the only way to live one’s faith and bring peace and justice to society. PIME superior notes that Christians and Muslims are already engaged in sharing each other’s experience of life and faith.

In South Asia violence against Christians by majority religions is commonplace. In Bangladesh 70 priests and nuns take part in a workshop to learn a new approach towards other cultures.

The PIME clergyman runs a home and school for boys in order to educate the poor. Students now can dream: study and have a profession. Here is an exclusive interview with AsiaNews.

Following the example of Mother Teresa, Sister Mary Orpa of the Sisters of Mary Queen of Apostles, helps children hospitalised in Dhaka irrespective of caste or creed. For her, “If you treat a patient with a smile, loves spreads everywhere”.

Brother Nirmol Francis Gomes, missionary of the Holy Cross, said the genesis of his vocation took place through the example of parents' faith, despite economic difficulties. Recently appointed vice-chancellor of a school in Chittagong, the missionary seeks to convey to young people without family the love and Christian education he experienced during his childhood.

Zia Rahman has revoked the death penalty for a group of representatives from Awami League, condemned in 2006 for murder. Catholic activist welcomes the decision of the President and calls on the Government to abolish the practice. According to the Ministry of Interior there are at least 407 people sentenced to death in the country.

The rape took place on 2 September in an Islamic school in Madaripur District (Dhaka). Abbas Ali, the teacher who perpetrated the deed against the girl, is still on the run. The parents of the 11-year-old girl found her injured and in shock; she is still in serious conditions.

This is the country’s first large-scale anthrax outbreak. All infected cattle are to be culled as 500,000 units of vaccine are distributed in five affected districts. Cities are also at risk because of poor controls on infected beef.