Sumon Corraya

Jany Rozario, a 40-year-old Catholic woman, committed suicide after she lost her job. The pandemic is devastating Bangladesh’s economy. Unemployment stands at 13 per cent with 16.4 million new poor this year. Many of the jobless leave urban centres for their home villages.

The mostly Christian ethnic group has been the victim of decades of land grabbing that has left its members in dire poverty. Protesters also demand justice for three Santal killed by the police in 2016. Those responsible for their death have never been punished.

Large numbers attended his funeral. His work among Catholics increased membership in the local Church. Youth leader remembers that “He called the young salt and light of the world. I still feel this and I personally heard his call and I'm trying to follow his advice in my life.”

A month ago he contracted Covid-19. His death follows a rapid deterioration in the past 48 hours. Abp. Costa was secretary of the Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh and responsible for youth ministry. The condolences of Sr Prema, of the Missionaries of Charity, and of the Movement of Catholic students.

Famous for his soundtracks, folk songs and Christian hymns, the 65-year-old musician was a member of the country’s Anglican church. He battled a lymphoma for a long time. For Card Patrick D’Rozario, the singer and his music will always live in people's hearts.

Videos of their work have gone viral. The country has reported 160,000 cases of infection and 2,000 deaths, including a dozen Christians. Fearing contagion, very few people are willing to touch the bodies of the infected. Catholics are grateful for this service.

On 1 July 2016, Islamic militants killed 22 people, including nine Italians, at the Holey Artisan Bakery café. Seven terrorists have been sentenced to death. Bangladesh’s counterterrorism police have conducted 395 raids, arresting 1,065 jihadis and killing 25. Radical groups are using social media to recruit young people and university students.

Card Patrick D’Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka, Rev Samuel Sunil Mankhin, moderator of the (Anglican) Church of Bangladesh, and other religious leaders took part in the service. Bangladesh has reported 130,474 cases so far with 1,661 deaths. At least 53,133 people have been treated.

Thousands of women have been forced by the economic crisis to quit their jobs in the city and go home and work in the farm. Many are ethnic Garo Christians.

In the country, the coronavirus mortality rate for health care workers is around 4 percent, the highest in the world, where the average mortality rate for doctors is 2.5 percent. It appears that in the first phase doctors, nurses and health workers did not have any PPE and this is why many of them were infected, but although the government now supplies PPE, the quality is not standard.

Bishop Gervas Rozario, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, reports the improvement. Card Bo sends a message to the faithful of Bangladesh. Coronavirus has killed 1,305 people in the country so far, with more than 100,000 cases.

Archbishop Moses M. Costa was transported by helicopter to a Dhaka hospital. He is in intensive care and his conditions worsen. The prayer of the faithful. So far there are 90,000 positive cases and 1209 deaths in the country. There are also some political figures among the victims.