Sumon Corraya

Some priests and nuns from Bangladesh work abroad as missionaries; others will do the same in the future. Thirty years ago, the local Catholic Church needed the help of international missionary groups like PIME, the Xaverians, and the priests and nuns of the Holy Cross.

Patients who were not tested for the coronavirus are not being admitted. For health authorities, there is no shortage of beds. and people “turned away should file a complaint”. Some VIPs have reserved beds during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Experts predict that by December 2020, over a million garment workers will lose their jobs. “I gave two months' wages and shut my factories,” a Catholic business man said. “Now I am in trouble. I have a lot of bank loans, and I don't know how I can overcome this situation.”

On 14 May, the first cases of infection were reported among the Rohingya in the Lambashia camp, Cox’s Bazar. Steps have been taken to prevent the spread of the virus among the 34 Rohingya refugee camps. Three camps, housing 15,000 people (3,600 families), are in lockdown.

Sea water has invaded collection basins, wells and aquifers, causing a health catastrophe. Many people fall ill with dysentery. The government is unable to intervene in the most affected areas. Caritas distributes a chlorine purifier invented in Switzerland.

Local authorities blame the massacre on traffickers holding the workers hostage. At least 12 million Bangladeshis live abroad, just over 21,000 in Libya. In 2020, 654 Bangladeshi illegally entered Europe from Libya. Caritas Bangladesh notes that migrants pay more than 10,000 euros to end up in the hands of unscrupulous criminals.

Over 147 million Muslims marked the end of the holy month of fasting and prayer. The mosques were open, but worshippers kept a distance. Community celebrations were banned, but thoughts were for the sick and the dead. Card Patrick D’Rozario expressed wishes for “abundant blessings, unity, peace, and happiness to families.”

Almost 2.5 million people have moved away from the most affected areas. About 3.3 million are without power. Homes, crops and fish enclosures have been damaged. Villages where some 3,000 Catholics live take a hit. The Church is lending a hand.

Many workers are unable to reach the countryside because of the lockdown. About 80% of the population lives on agriculture, and rice is the main food. The missionaries were inspired by Pope Francis' Laudato si.

The landlord and his son carried out the attack against the women and her two daughters. The victim, an ethnic Garo, lost her job because of the government’s lockdown to counter the coronavirus pandemic. The police have launched an investigation. For tribal people living in the capital, unemployment is a tragedy. Economic activity has dropped by 71 per cent in urban areas and 55 per cent in rural areas.

Caritas Bangladesh is helping 60,000 Rohingya families (200,000 people). “We provide for their basic needs like food, housing, medicine, education. Now we have added an awareness programme so that they can be safe from this virus,” said a Caritas official. Refugees also get soap, masks, and a leaflet with information on how to avoid the infection.

A public meeting will not be held because of the lockdown. Even without Mass, Catholics can pray to defeat the pandemic. The crisis is making people rediscover their spiritual side. There is concern over the reopening of shopping malls during the Eid al-Fitr festival.