Cardinal George Koovakad, prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, has called for humility and deeper interfaith dialogue during his week-long visit to Bangladesh, stressing that harmony must overcome divisions of religion, race, and gender.
The Vatican official arrived in Dhaka on September 5 with a delegation that included Msgr. Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, secretary of the dicastery, along with Jesuits Fr. Joseph Victor Edwin and Brother Marcus Solo Keota.
Their mission includes meetings with religious leaders, government officials, educators, and community members, according to a report by Asianews.
At a reception hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) on September 6, Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed underscored the nation’s need for inclusivity.
“Your religion, your gender, your race, your language, or the color of your skin—none of this should matter,” he said.
“We must overcome all divisions. The ideal of unity may face challenges, but we must not be discouraged. We must embrace unity in diversity,” the Chief Justice added.
He urged communities to confront the roots of conflict through dialogue, stressing the need for understanding, patience, and realism.
He pointed out that every religion teaches respect for others and that Bangladesh’s Constitution upholds religious freedom. He emphasized that mutual dialogue and peaceful coexistence are essential for building a society rooted in harmony.
The following day, Cardinal Koovakad presided over Mass at Tejgaon Church, where he warned against pride as a source of division.
“It leads to comparisons between individuals, between religions. Often people underestimate others, thinking, ‘I know more, I am wise, I am great.’ Like the Pharisee in the temple who said, ‘I am so good, I am not like him.’ Such comparisons are the fruit of pride,” he said.
He stressed that humility is the foundation of genuine coexistence, noting that those who recognize God’s presence avoid comparisons and instead welcome people of other religions, beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds.
The Vatican official said that respect and harmony are not optional but flow from the conviction that God is great.
The prelate described Bangladesh as a “shining example of communal harmony” where Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims live together peacefully, while acknowledging moments of sectarian violence. “This harmony,” he said, “exalts human dignity.”
Quoting Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Cardinal Koovakad reminded that interreligious dialogue is “not a political issue, but a spiritual and human endeavor. We venture into dialogue on faith in search of understanding. In this faith in search of understanding, and through it, we seek divine truth, sharing the one Creator.”
Archbishop Bejoy D’Cruze, OMI, president of the CBCB, welcomed the delegation, saying that their presence and guidance “will greatly contribute to promoting harmony among people of different religious traditions in our country.”
The Vatican delegation’s itinerary includes an interfaith seminar at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh, a speech on “Promoting a Culture of Harmony” at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center, and visits to the Islamic Foundation, Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, and Buddhist and Hindu temples.
The program will conclude on September 11 with a reception at the Vatican Embassy in Dhaka, also marking Pope Leo XIV’s 70th birthday.
