Dhaka, Bangladesh – In a development that has sent ripples through religious communities, Dhaka police have arrested a 28-year-old man linked to a series of homemade bomb attacks targeting prominent Catholic institutions in the capital this month.

The incidents, which struck St Mary’s Cathedral and St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School and College, have heightened fears among Bangladesh’s minority Catholic population.

The suspect, identified as a member of the Bangladesh Chhatra League – the banned student wing of the Awami League, the political party formerly led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – was apprehended following intensive investigations. Police sources indicate he is being interrogated regarding the explosions that occurred on the nights of 7 and 8 November. These attacks not only disrupted the peace of sacred spaces but also came perilously close to derailing a national jubilee celebration organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh to honour the birth of Christ, an event intended to unite bishops, priests, and lay Catholics from across the nation.

On the evening of 7 November, around 10:30 p.m. local time, a homemade bomb detonated near St Mary’s Cathedral in central Dhaka, with authorities later discovering an unexploded device on the premises.

Mere hours later, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on 8 November, another bomb exploded within the compound of St Joseph’s School in the Mohammadpur neighbourhood – a site renowned as one of Bangladesh’s leading Catholic educational establishments, situated near the bishops’ conference headquarters and residences of various religious communities.

In response, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, in collaboration with the elite Rapid Action Battalion, have initiated a comprehensive citywide manhunt for additional suspects.

Security measures have been bolstered at churches and other religious sites throughout the capital to prevent further incidents.

Bangladesh’s interim government, which assumed power following Hasina’s removal in August, has reaffirmed its dedication to safeguarding religious minorities. A government spokesperson emphasised, “We remain committed to protecting all faiths and will ensure those who seek to undermine religious harmony are brought to justice.”

For India’s Catholic community, numbering over 20 million and sharing deep cultural and spiritual ties with their Bangladeshi counterparts, these events serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by minorities in the region.

Indian Catholic leaders have often voiced support for interfaith dialogue, and this incident may inspire renewed prayers for peace and protection across borders.

As investigations continue, the faithful in both nations hold hope that such acts of violence will not overshadow the enduring spirit of communal harmony.

  Bangladesh, Catholic Church, violence