Sumon Corraya

As the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) opens later on July 20 in Jakarta, Archbishop Bejoy Nicephorus D'Cruze, OMI, of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, has called on the Church in Asia to deepen its commitment to interreligious dialogue, saying other faiths should be viewed not as "other religions" but as "the religions of our neighbors."

For Fr. William Murmu, a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Rajshahi and a member of the Santal community, one of the largest indigenous ethnic communities in Bangladesh, the meeting was more than a political consultation—it was a moment of recognition for communities that often feel unheard.

As the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) opens its Plenary Assembly in Jakarta on July 20, the chairman of the FABC Office of Laity and Family says strengthening families, deepening faith formation, and expanding the participation of laypeople, women, and youth remain among the Church’s most urgent priorities in Asia.

The Bangladesh Christian Association (BCA), a Christian rights organization in Bangladesh, has expressed concern over reported attacks and harassment targeting Christian communities in neighboring India’s West Bengal state and urged authorities to ensure the protection of religious minorities.

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.

For years, Pronoy John Costa lived in rented accommodation in Dhaka, moving from one place to another. Like many young professionals in Bangladesh’s fast-growing capital, homeownership felt distant. That changed when he joined The Metropolitan Christian Co‑operative Housing Society Ltd., a faith-rooted housing initiative that has helped thousands of Christian families secure a permanent address.

Four members of a Catholic family in a tribal village in central Bangladesh died in a desperate attempt to rescue a goat from an abandoned well, causing immense sorrow to the Catholic community.

A Catholic school in southern Bangladesh is strengthening its focus on values-based education as it seeks to support the academic and personal development of students in a region where access to quality education remains a challenge.

In a quiet Catholic village in northern Bangladesh, a simple family home has become an unlikely gathering place, drawing hundreds of visitors and sparking conversations about culture, identity, and unity.

A two-day formation seminar in northern Bangladesh brought together women religious from different congregations to deepen their commitment to consecrated life and strengthen community relationships amid evolving pastoral and social challenges.