Bangladesh’s only Catholic weekly enriches the lives of its readers, Muslims and Hindus included
The weekly Pratibeshi celebrated its 75th anniversary on 1 April at a ceremony attended by 6 bishops, 50 priests and 3,000 faithful readers. Founded in 1941, the paper today has a circulation of 10,000. Its readership includes Muslims and Hindus who like it because it talks about religious harmony and respect for all human beings.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Since it was founded 75 years ago, Pratibeshi, Bangladesh’s only Bengali-language Catholic Weekly, has provided its readers with a wealth of information and wisdom.
The milestone was celebrated on 1 April in Dhaka in the presence of 6 bishops, 50 priests and 3,000 faithful readers, including Hindu and Muslim readers.
One of them is Saifuddin Sabuj, a Muslim journalist. "I learnt a lot in terms of morality as well as journalism from Pratibeshi,” he said about a publication he admires. “Now I apply at work what the Catholic paper taught.”
Pratibeshi, which means neighbour, was founded in 1941 by Fr Richard Duane Patrick, a missionary of the Holy Cross, at the Ranikhong Catholic Church in Mymensing, central Bangladesh.
Launched as a local paper, it spread quickly. Today, its headquarters are in the capital, Dhaka, with a circulation of 10,000 in 35 countries. Over the years, the paper has taken a leading role in building religious harmony.
"The weekly offers admirable service to Bangladeshis, enlightening its readers about the activities of the Church and the Vatican around the world,” said the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop George Kocherry, during the ceremony. “It has highlighted Christian morals, spirituality, and family values, whilst promoting evangelisation.”
As a weekly, “Pratibeshi has done a good job in preaching the Gospel,” said Mgr Patrick D'Rozario, Archbishop of Dhaka. “It has also provided a venue for writers, journalists and artists."
For Monjural Ahasan Bulbul, a well-known Muslim journalist, the paper “has been a pioneer of journalism in Bangladesh, providing moral, social, and spiritual lessons, as well as promoting nation-wide events. It is rare for any publication to reach the age of 75.”
"The first time I saw the weekly Pratibeshi I was at a seminar,” said Palash Roy, a Hindu lawyer. “After that I became a regular reader.”
“The weekly calls on readers to respect all religions,” he added, “as well as love human beings. That is different from the publications of other faiths. I like its articles and can learn from them.”
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