wfn.org | WCC NEWS Bangladesh: Kobia voices concerns of Christian

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World Council of Churches - Update
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 30/03/2005

BANGLADESH: KOBIA AND PRESIDENT AHMED DISCUSS
CONCERNS OF THE COUNTRY'S TINY CHRISTIAN MINORITY

Rights of minorities, increasing trends of religious intolerance,
political violence, the need for strengthening of interfaith dialogue at
grassroots level and Christian contributions to social development were
discussed by WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia and Prof. Dr
Iajjudin Ahmed, President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, during
his first visit to the country.

At the meeting, held on Monday, 28 March, Kobia expressed concern over
increasing acts of religious intolerance and violation of minority rights
in the country, once known for being a moderate Muslim-majority country. 
Terrorist activities are the responsibility of only a small group,
president Ahmed told Kobia. He assured Kobia that the government is
determined to prevent such activities and not to allow the extremists to
have an impact.

On behalf of the tiny Christian minority in the country, Kobia asked
president Ahmed to consider declaring Easter Sunday as a public holiday.
The president agreed to support the proposal and suggested to Christian
leaders present at the meeting to start negotiating with the government. 
At the encounter, the WCC general secretary was accompanied by National
Council of Churches President Sudhir Adhikari, Baptist Church President
Sheila Mong Chowdhury, and Christian Development Commission Director
Joyantha Adhikari.

On the first day of his 26-28 March visit, Kobia inaugurated the "Human
and Organizational Potential Enhancement (HOPE)" international training
centre of the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) in
the capital city of Dhaka.

Recalling WCC involvement in the social development of the country since
its independence in 1971, Kobia said that the CCDB's work towards
strengthening civil society will continue to be supported by the ecumenical family around the world.

A strong civil society movement can play a significant role in sustaining
and protecting justice and freedom in society, Kobia affirmed, speaking to
a large audience representing churches, civil society and the international community.

In Bangladesh, with its high levels of human deprivation, systematic
efforts need to be undertaken to enhance human development which will
ultimately ensure freedom and human dignity for all, Kobia stated.

In a seminar held at the NCC Bangladesh headquarters on Ecumenism in the
21st Century, Kobia emphasized that, as the world becomes more and more
polarized, interfaith dialogue and cooperation should be a priority of the
ecumenical movement agenda.

In Bangladesh the ecumenical movement needs to be engaged in dialogue
between Christians and Muslims at the grassroots level, where ordinary
people experience the negative impact of religious intolerance and
violence.

During his three-day visit, Kobia met with the leadership of WCC member
churches and ecumenical organizations, as well as Roman Catholic and
Evangelical church leaders in the country.

Kobia is accompanied by his wife, Mrs Ruth Kobia, and by WCC Asia
secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara. The trip continues with a visit to
WCC member churches in Thailand from 29 March to 2 April. There he will
also participate in the 12th general assembly of the Christian Conference
of Asia (CCA) at Chiang Mai.

For additional information see WCC press release of 23 March 2005 at:
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/pressreleasesen.nsf/index/pr-05-08.html

This material may be reprinted freely.

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.