01/12/2016, 00.00
BANGLADESH
Send to a friend

Some 500 Christians go on a hunger strike over seized Church land (Photos)

by Sumon Corraya
An historic pond owned by the St Peter’s Church since 1849 is the bone of contention. Initially used for baptisms, it now serves the community as an important source of drinking water. The government wants to fill it in to build a courthouse. For years, the Christian minority has endured forced evictions.

Barisal (AsiaNews) – More than 500 Christians, mostly Protestants, held a protest on Sunday in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barisal, south-central Bangladesh. The demonstration over an historic Church-owned pond saw participants take part in a hunger strike (pictured).

"We organised the demonstration to protest against the government's decision to construct a building that would fill the pond,” Fr Shanti Mondal, representative of the Church of Bangladesh, told AsiaNews.

The peaceful protest was held on Sunday in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barisal. Several Catholic priests and representatives of various religions were among the demonstrators.

Fr Mondal noted that the pond has belonged to St Peter’s Church since 1849. Initially used for baptisms, it now serves the community as an important source of drinking water.

"This is an historic pond, but local lawyers want to replace it with a ten-storey building. The government has taken this decision even though we have all the legal documents, and regularly pay taxes on the land."

Protesters formed a human chain and marched through the city, shouting slogans against land seizures. Afterwards, they presented a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

"The Public Works Department filled in a 150-year pond to build the Judicial Magistrate Court in Barisal,” the Christian leader said. “The action is completely illegal."

"Please, do not offend our religious sentiments," he pleaded.

For years, Bangladesh’s Christian minority has been subjected to forced land seizures, most of which are carried out with various forms of violence.

Just a few days ago, a Catholic tribal man was torched to death probably in connection with a land feud.

Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
Espropri di terre in Bangladesh
TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
After 17 years, no justice for the victims of the church attack in Baniarchor, Barisal
04/06/2018 18:08
Catholic music to promote dialogue in Ambon, the city of sectarian violence
17/10/2018 13:29
Dalian oil slick to reach international waters
21/07/2010
Top mining company responsible for major spill in Fujian, three top officials arrested
16/07/2010
Kalpitiya: Muslim woman defeats mega tourism project over land expropriation
19/01/2012


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”