ASIA/BANGLADESH – Bishop Subroto: Silent march of Catholics in Dhaka “to say No to fundamentalism and violence”

Dhaka – “Tomorrow we will be in the city center and march hand in hand. The faithful and parish communities of the capital, Dhaka, have organized a silent march and a sit-in for peace, to denounce the intimidation we have suffered and to say that, as a Christian community, we are ready to build an inclusive country that respects the dignity of all cultures, ethnicities, and religions, rejecting all forms of fundamentalism and violence,” Bishop Subroto Boniface Gomes, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dhaka, announced to Fides, presenting the peaceful demonstration that the Catholic communities of Dhaka have organized for November 18 to draw the attention of civil authorities and public opinion to their concern about the recent incidents, at a delicate phase in the nation’s history. In recent weeks, several episodes of violence “have attempted to intimidate us and cast a shadow over coexistence,” recalls Bishop Subroto. On the afternoon of November 7, a makeshift bomb exploded in front of the gate of the St. Mary’s Cathedral complex in Dhaka, and another bomb exploded at St. Joseph’s School, a short distance away. There were no injuries or casualties in the attacks, but the Catholic and school communities are quite frightened. Despite the attacks, liturgical celebrations and classes have proceeded normally in recent days. The violence occurred a month later, on October 8, when a bomb was thrown at the capital’s oldest church, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. No group has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attacks. “We don’t know who has committed these acts of intimidation, but there is fear among the people. As bishops, we have written a message to the faithful, recalling the words of Jesus: ‘Do not be afraid.’ We remain steadfast in faith,” he recalls. “We have informed the civil authorities of our situation, and they have allowed a thorough investigation. We are in a phase of uncertainty and social tension; we must understand how political events will unfold. The interim government is struggling to control the situation,” the bishop notes. One factor of instability relates to the case of Hasina: today, November 17, a court sentenced Hasina to death after a trial that lasted several months, issuing the sentence in absentia, given that the leader fled to India after the unrest of summer 2024. The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal found her guilty of ordering the repression of the 2024 student protests, in which some 1,400 people were killed. Hasina has been sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity and to death for ordering the killings of the protesters. The defense has argued that the accusations are “baseless and politically motivated,” calling the trial a “sham trial.” The verdict can be appealed to the Supreme Court. This is the scenario unfolding on the eve of the elections. The Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Hasina, banned by the Electoral Commission, will not participate in the anticipated elections, scheduled for the first months of 2026. Subroto observes: “The path to the elections is still not entirely clear. There are several obstacles and question marks. We see that student parties enjoy popular support. But radical Islamist parties have also regained ground and consensus. The situation is very fluid,” he says. “We tell our faithful to be vigilant, prudent, and to safeguard faith, hope, and charity. We continue our life and our mission, bearing witness to Christ in our country,” he concludes.

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