Field tracker · Bangladesh · South Asia
Religious minorities in Bangladesh are not doing well, new report says
Violence has transformed from mass attacks to targeted violence, a matter of serious concern for the security of the minority community.
Record details
- Location
- Bangladesh · South Asia
- Event type
- Attack
- Coordinates
- 23.810, 90.412
- Accountable source
- Crux ↗
Related records
Christians Sentenced to Prison for ‘Forced Conversions’ at Birthday Party
Seven Christians from India’s Madhya Pradesh state have been sentenced after a court found them guilty of forceful conversions during a birthday party. The convictions, which follow a legal battle that’s lasted since April 2024, are the latest example of the growing persecution and opposition that Christians face across several states where the anti-conversion laws… The post Christians Sentenced to Prison for ‘Forced Conversions’ at Birthday Party first appeared on International Christian Concern.
India · AUG 03, 2026lowChristians in West Bengal face new round of intimidation, threats
Local Christian leaders say they believe the intimidation efforts are being coordinated.
India · AUG 03, 2026lowASIA/BANGLADESH - The Church's Mission among Khulna's Dalits. Bishop Boiragi: "In Christ they rediscover the dignity of children of God"
Khulna – Accompanying Dalit communities on their journey of human development and faith by providing education, social support and proclaiming the Gospel as an experience of liberation. This is one of the distinctive missions of the Catholic community in the Diocese of Khulna, in southwestern Bangladesh, where the majority of Catholics come from Dalit communities—the "untouchables," traditionally marginalized within Bengali society. "In our pastoral ministry among the Dalits, we focus primarily on human development projects and on helping them educate their children. We support them in finding employment, sustaining their families and addressing their everyday needs. Caritas is also deeply committed to serving these communities," Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Khulna told Fides. The Church's commitment, however, extends beyond social development. "These aspects are important, but above all we devote ourselves to catechesis and educational support," the Bishop said. "There are around 37,000 Catholics in my diocese, and the majority come from Dalit communities." The presence of Dalits in Bangladesh is a little-known historical reality. It is estimated that between three and five million people in the country belong to Dalit communities, descendants of groups historically relegated to the margins of South Asia's caste system. Although Bangladesh today is a largelyMuslim nation, , its social structure has inherited and maintained deeply rooted hierarchical patterns and practices of untouchability from its Hindu past. Many Dalits continue to perform occupations traditionally regarded as "impure," such as street sweeping, sewer cleaning, waste collection and other low-paid manual labor. Although Bangladesh's Constitution prohibits all forms of discrimination, Dalits continue to experience social exclusion, limited access to education, difficulty accessing the labor market and inadequate housing conditions. The Khulna region, a major urban and industrial hub in the country's southwest, is home to a large Dalit population—estimated at around 500,000 people—linked to specifici historical, economic and geographical factors. Many Dalit families live in peripheral neighborhoods, slums and informal settlements under precarious conditions. The Diocese of Khulna, established in 1952 and now part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Dhaka, covers eight districts in southwestern Bangladesh. Through its parishes, Catholic schools, Caritas programs and numerous pastoral initiatives, the Church has accompanied Dalit communities for decades, promoting education, vocational training and social integration. According to Bishop Boiragi, the caste system in Bangladesh is not as rigid today as it is in other parts of South Asia, yet its consequences remain evident. "Some people from the Hindu community are still affected by it, as are the Dalits. In society at large, among both Muslims and Hindus, this problem still exists," he said. For many Dalits, conversion to Christianity also represents a path toward human and social redemption: "When members of the Dalit community convert to Christianity," the Bishop explained, "they are treated with greater respect, whereas they are normally discriminated against. Conversion also becomes a way of improving their living conditions." The ecclesial community seeks to ensure that this transformation leads to full integration. "We try to help them become fully integrated into society, also thanks to the good relationships we maintain with other religious communities. At the same time, we encourage our faithful to welcome them as brothers and sisters," he noted. For Dalits, Bishop Boiragi stressed, encountering the Gospel also means rediscovering their dignity. "To embrace Christ's message is to rediscover the dignity of being children of God. It is an experience of liberation from the yoke of oppression and marginalization. It is also a concrete way of improving one's life, because it often opens access to education, personal growth and development opportunities that create new possibilities." In the Diocese of Khulna, the Church's mission continues to unite evangelization and human promotion, in the conviction that proclaiming the Gospel restores hope to the most vulnerable and contributes to building a more just and inclusive society.
Bangladesh · AUG 03, 2026highASIA - “Choral compassion” to stop migrant tragedies in the “Mediterranean of Asia”
Jakarta – Forced migration and human trafficking, two deeply interconnected phenomena, are among the most serious crises affecting the Asian continent. In the face of the ongoing maritime tragedies in the Bay of Bengal, Catholic communities in South and Southeast Asia—particularly in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia—are called to a “choral compassion” aimed at creating networks of welcome and humanitarian corridors to protect migrants from human traffickers. Father Ignatius Ismartono, an Indonesian Jesuit active in Jakarta in the fight against human trafficking with the organization ‘Sahabat Insan’ , shared these reflections in an interview with Fides. The Jesuit renews the appeal to compassion expressed by bishops at the recent Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences , recalling the tragedies unfolding in what has been described as the “Mediterranean of Asia.” The term refers to the maritime area stretching from the northern part of the Bay of Bengal to the Indonesian province of Aceh, located at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. The Rohingya emergency The latest episode that has provoked outrage and concern involves the Rohingya people, who continue to travel along one of the deadliest maritime migration routes in the world. Two boats carrying more than 500 people capsized off the coast of Myanmar in recent weeks. “According to preliminary information,stated a joint communiqué from the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Refugee Agency , “the two boats departed from Myanmar’s Rakhine State at the end of June, carrying mainly Rohingya passengers. Among them were people from the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. One of the boats, believed to have been carrying around 250 people, sank shortly after departure. The second, with approximately 280 people on board, capsized on July 8 off the coast of Ayeyarwady, Myanmar.” For Father Ismartono, “this is one of the most serious maritime disasters involving refugees in recent years. International agencies have urged governments in the region to strengthen search-and-rescue operations and to uphold their international obligations to protect those fleeing violence and persecution. They have also called for greater international cooperation to address the root causes of forced displacement and to create safe pathways for refugees.” The Jesuit notes: “As the bishops of Asia have emphasized, this tragedy echoes the appeals of Pope Leo XIII to defend the dignity of every human person, especially migrants and refugees forced to leave their homes in search of safety.” A transnational ecclesial action The Jesuit shares the proposal of Bishop Socrates Mesiona, Bishop of Puerto Princesa and president of the Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, who highlighted “the urgency of ecclesial action at a transnational level.” Forced migration in South Asia, the bishop said, “can no longer be treated by governments simply as a social burden or a legal problem.” Father Ismartono adds that Catholic communities in Southeast Asian countries “feel called to participate in the mission of safeguarding the dignity of every person. They are called to make themselves available wherever the State fails or is unable to reach, promoting appropriate forms of pastoral outreach and reception.” According to United Nations data, in 2026 alone more than 5,400 Rohingya have attempted dangerous journeys by sea. Humanitarian agencies describe the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea as among the world’s most dangerous migration routes. In 2025, more than 6,500 Rohingya fled by sea, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing. The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority from Myanmar, have endured decades of discrimination, forced displacement, violence and denial of citizenship, leaving many stateless. Many remain confined to Rakhine State, while around 1.2 million continue to live in refugee camps in Bangladesh. In this context, limited opportunities for education, employment and resettlement push many to undertake dangerous sea crossings. On one side, violence and conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State; on the other, declining humanitarian assistance and worsening living conditions in Bangladesh’s refugee camps continue to drive thousands of families into the hands of human traffickers, who organize sea journeys that frequently end in tragedy. The field commitment of “Sahabat Insan” Father Ismartono views the phenomenon from the privileged and practical perspective of “Sahabat Insan,” an organization officially recognized both by the Indonesian state and by the Catholic Church. This commitment, he explains, is “deeply rooted in Ignatian spirituality and in the principles of Catholic social dcotrine, and is founded on the protection of human dignity.” The people assisted, he recalls, “are not considered mere numbers or statistical cases, but human beings endowed with an intrinsic and inviolable dignity—people in whom the face of Christ is revealed.” “Sahabat Insan” operates according to the principles of compassion and proximity, opening itself to cooperation with networks of other faith in order to combat the global scourge of human trafficking, which is deeply rooted in the Bay of Bengal region. “Southeast Asia, with its many nations,” the Jesuit explains, “is severely affected by illegal labor recruitment and human trafficking.” For this reason, the organization provides protection and direct assistance to victims, establishing systems of reception and offering psychological, legal and healthcare support to Indonesian migrant workers and those from neighboring countries who have fallen into the hands of traffickers. It also runs social reintegration programs to help survivors safely rebuild their lives within the local social and economic fabric. “Prevention and awareness are extremely important,” he notes. “That is why we promote educational campaigns and seminars to inform communities and potential migrants about the dangers posed by traffickers, who often exploit poverty and lack of education by falsifying documents with the complicity of corrupt officials.” In the effort to combat a phenomenon involving multiple actors—including governments, security forces and civil society—cooperation with other organizations, such as the Catholic sisters’ network Talitha Kum and the Jesuit Refugee Service, is essential to monitor migration flows and facilitate safe returns. “Since trafficking is a transnational crime without borders,” he observes, “the response of the Church and civil society must be equally coordinated and global. For this reason, we are fully integrated into the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific .” Building on this cooperation, the effort extends beyond the boundaries of the Catholic Church to engage institutions and governments within the ASEAN region . “To parliamentarians of ASEAN countries,” he states, “we ask that the prevention of human trafficking be included directly in national school curricula, in cooperation with secular NGOs and the whole of civil society.”
India · JUL 31, 2026