More than 5,000 students attend the funeral of Br John Rozario, a well-known Catholic educator

Bangladesh’s first native educator, who ran three high schools, died yesterday at the age of 81. Muslim and Hindu students remember him as an example for the religious life “with a pure soul and kind heart." Under his stewardship, schools prospered and acquired prestige.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – More than 5,000 students and alumni came together to pay their last respect to Brother John Rozario, a well-known Catholic educator who died yesterday at the age of 81.

He was the first Bangladeshi from the Holy Cross congregation to run three local high schools: St Gregory's High School and St Joseph’s High School in Dhaka, and the Bandura Holy Cross High School in Bandura (about 100 kilometers from the capital).

In 19 years of service, he trained many young people, Catholic and non-Catholic. One of them is Neil Avishek.

"I was lucky enough to be admitted to St Joseph’s High School three years before he retired,” the Hindu former student told AsiaNews. “Without him, the high school would never have gained the reputation it now has. No doubt, we ‘Josephites’ will be forever indebted to this great human being."

Brother Rozario died of natural causes at Dhaka’s Square Hospital. His funeral was held yesterday.

Before his appointment, Canadian and American clergymen had managed the three schools. He also was the first superior of the congregation of Bangladeshi origin.

Syed Nuhin Saift, a Muslim former student, remembers him as someone "with a pure soul and kind heart."

The news of his death "makes me very said,” he added. “He was the one whom I and my fellow students missed the most when we finished high school. May he rest in peace. From the bottom of our heart, we pay tribute to and pray for him."

His educational mission also inspired many young people to embark on a path of vocational discernment.

For Brother Binory Stephen Gomes, also a member of the Holy Cross congregation, "Brother John was our ideal of the religious life. He was a man of prayer, and led a very simple and wise life. He read a lot and encouraged us to read books and newspapers."

Thanks to his efforts, "many young people went to the seminary and today serve the Church and the country as consecrated brothers."

In Bangladesh, most people are Muslim. Catholics are barely 600,000 but they make a significant contribution in the field of education.

Christian schools are renowned for the quality of teaching and are much sought after by all sections of the population. In all, the local Church runs a university, five high schools and 500 schools.

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