“We Must Rise Above All Divisions”: Bangladesh Chief Justice at Vatican Delegation Reception

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) organized a special ceremony on September 6 at the Archbishop’s House in Dhaka to welcome Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, along with his delegation, who are on a weeklong visit to Bangladesh.

The delegation included Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, Secretary of the Dicastery, Fr. Joseph Victor Edwin, SJ, and Fr. Marcus Solo Keota, SVD.

The event was attended by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed of Bangladesh, who called on all citizens to rise above divisions of religion, gender, and race in order to build a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous nation.

Speaking to the media after the reception, Chief Justice Ahmed reflected: “We spoke today of a great ideal, an ideal that may, at times, face obstacles and challenges. The continuity of striving toward that ideal may be interrupted, but that should never discourage us. The message of today’s discussion, I believe, is that your religion, your gender, your race, your language, or the color of your skin, none of these should matter. We must rise above all divisions.”

Responding to questions on differences regarding pressing social and political issues, he emphasized the importance of dialogue:

“We must sit together and examine the root causes of these events, why they happen, and where they originate. Let us not be discouraged. Let us not lose hope. We must embrace unity in diversity.”

In his address, Cardinal Koovakad praised Bangladesh’s legacy of peaceful coexistence, describing it as “a shining example of communal harmony, where Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims live together peacefully. Such harmony enhances human dignity.”

Quoting Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti, he warned against rising sectarianism and nationalism: “We must resist extreme nationalist and sectarian attitudes. These attitudes tolerate only their own interests and view everything outside themselves as a threat.”

He reminded that interreligious dialogue is not a political issue, but a spiritual one: “The fruits of dialogue can only bring about deeper harmony among people. We venture into dialoguing about faith seeking understanding. In and through this faith seeking understanding, we look for divine truth, sharing in the one Creator.”

In his welcome remarks, Archbishop Bejoy D’Cruze, OMI, Chairman of CBCB, expressed gratitude for the Cardinal’s presence: “I warmly welcome Cardinal George Koovakad to Bangladesh. Your presence and guidance will greatly contribute to fostering harmony among people of different religious traditions in our country.”