Bangladesh Muslim Shopkeeper Builds Four-Decade Bond with Catholic Community

As the Catholic Church in Asia prepares for the 12th Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Plenary Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia, under the theme of “The Call to Synodal Conversion and the Mission to Be Bridges and Bridge-Builders in Asia,” stories of everyday encounters across religious communities offer a glimpse of how dialogue and cooperation take shape in daily life.

One such example can be found in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where a Muslim shopkeeper has spent nearly four decades serving a Catholic community by providing religious images and building relationships with parishioners, priests, and religious communities.

For 73-year-old Mohammad Abdur Rashid, owner of Rashid Glass House beside Tejgaon Catholic Church in the Farmgate area of Dhaka, selling framed images of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Family, St. Joseph, St. Anthony, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and even portraits of Pope Leo XIV has been part of his business since 1988.

Located next to Tejgaon Parish and the Holy Cross School, the shop serves one of Bangladesh’s largest Catholic communities. More than 10,000 Catholics live in the parish, including many families who moved to Dhaka from rural areas for employment.

Rashid, who is Muslim, said his connection with the Catholic community began as a business opportunity but developed into a relationship of mutual trust.

“I was a college student working in a picture-binding shop. Later, I started my own business near Farmgate. One day, while passing by the church, I noticed someone selling pictures of Jesus on a table, so I began selling Christian religious images too,” he recalled.

Over the years, the business has expanded. His son now helps manage the shop, which also provides photocopying services for students and local residents. Rashid estimates that around 80 percent of his customers are Catholics.

“My shop is visited by priests, sisters, brothers, and sometimes even bishops,” he said. “They speak to me very kindly. I enjoy meeting them.”

Rashid said he has never faced criticism from members of his own Muslim community for selling Christian religious items.

Inside his shop, Christian images are displayed alongside Islamic calligraphy, pictures of Makkah and Madinah, and Qur’anic verses.

For Catholic customers, the shop has become a familiar place to obtain devotional items. Subir Gomes, a businessman and longtime customer, recently purchased framed images of the Last Supper and the Virgin Mary for his family.

“When there are religious pictures in the house, people can pray before them,” Gomes said. “In difficult moments, that prayer brings peace.”

He expressed appreciation for Rashid’s service to the Catholic community.

“Although he is Muslim, he provides an important service for Christians,” Gomes said. “We are grateful for what he does.”

Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country of about 170 million people, with Catholics numbering around 450,000. Rashid’s long association with Tejgaon’s Catholic community reflects how ordinary relationships built through work and neighborhood life can contribute to mutual understanding between people of different faiths.

For the Catholic community near Tejgaon Church, Rashid’s shop represents a daily encounter between neighbors of different religious traditions, connected through trust, respect, and shared community life.