Sumon Corraya

The election is scheduled for the last week of the year. Election campaign are frequently marred by acts of violence and persecution against minorities. A delegation of Christians met the Chief Election Commissioner to discuss the issue.

A contribution to the Synod underway in the Vatican. The young people of Bangladesh "are not interested in the dirty affairs of politics, they are adamant and want to change everything with virulence". The Church must always "make its own voice heard" on critical issues.

In 60 years of mission, he played a crucial role in the fight against poverty and in promoting education, healthcare and socio-economic development. In 1971, during the Bangladesh’s War of Liberation, the Xaverian priest provided medical assistance to freedom fighters. For the services rendered to the nation, he received various honours.

The Synod of Bishops dedicated to ‘Young people, faith and vocational discernment’ is currently underway at the Vatican. The cardinal calls for a daily Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father, urges Catholics to share the message on social media.

In the last three years about 5,000 migrant women have returned from the Saudi kingdom. Between 1991 and 2018, at least 700,000 Bangladeshi women sought employment abroad, including 250,000 in Arabia. An NGO, BRAC, helps women who escape reintegrate into society.

The local bishop, Mgr Gervas Rozario, remembered the work of Fr Francesco Rocca and other PIME missionaries. Tribal leaders, 20 priests and about 250 believers from the dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinnajpur took part in the anniversary ceremony titled ‘Thanks, praise and joy’.

Members had been threatened for some time by a local Muslim who wanted to take over land and houses. The women of the family were harassed by the attackers. The daughters of the Catholic are afraid to leave the house and are not going to school.

Refugees have been taking wood from local forests to build shelters and use as firewood. In the Ukhia and Teknaf camps, about 2,250 tonnes are burnt every day. Five thousand acres of forest have now become barren. Since June, Caritas volunteers have handed out plants, vegetable seeds and various kinds of seedlings. The International Criminal Court wants to put Myanmar on trial.

Half of Bangladesh’s Catholics are tribal. Because of their humble origins and high rate of illiteracy, they are the easiest target of wealthy landowners. Santal families “only thanks to women”.

The big cities tempt Christians: infidelity, cohabitation with Muslims, poverty, drugs. For a Dhaka Catholic, priests should visit families more often.

The World Health Organisation estimates that about 11,000 Bangladeshis kill themselves each year. In the Christian community, ten young people committed suicide in 2018. The Church in Tejgaon organised a seminar to address the problem. For a Catholic doctor, parents should think more about their children than at work.

The attackers had forced her to undress and videoed her with a mobile phone. Shipra had filed a case with the police and asked help from the authorities to no avail. The family and the parish priest want justice for her.