Chandrakanta Memorial Church activities allegedly interfered

Publish: 8:36 PM, March 15, 2020 | Update: 8:36 PM, March 15, 2020
Chandrakanta Memorial Church is situated in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal. Photo: TBT

TBT DESK: Activities of one of the country’s oldest churches, Chandrakanta Memorial Church in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal has been allegedly interfered recently.

It has been alleged that, on February 6, the DC of Barishal along with some other people went to Chandrakanta Memorial Church and read out a letter that directed the church authorities to form a managing committee for the church. They claimed that the letter was issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. As the deputy commissioner left, Milton and his group attacked and beat up priests and those who opposed them. They left after locking down the pocket gate of the compound and few rooms of the adjoining buildings.

However, the ministry later confirmed that it was not issued by them.
Regarding the issue, James Ananda Biswas, the acting chief priest of the church, filed a writ petition in High Court. The complaints included manipulation of the verdict of the Hon’ble High Court, interfering into church administration by means of a fabricated letter from ministry, threats and attempts by some excommunicated members to take over the church’s properties and physical and verbal attacks on its management, including priests and preachers.

Priest Biswas informed that some former church members had been trying to take over the church for their personal interests with support from government officials. He said that “even though our community is small but it’s a strong community of faithful and we have been living peacefully for more than four decades. But a group of former members (who are excommunicated) involved in various anti-church activities have been threatening and panicking the community for their personal gains. He said the rival group is led by Milton Samadder, a businessman and former church member based in capital Dhaka.

Priest Biswas alleged that Samadder and his group want to take over the church and its properties to use for business ventures and had biased local officials to gain support.The group has been angry with the current church leaders for revoking their membership and banning them from attending liturgy on legitimate grounds, he said.

Samadder said that the allegations against him were ‘baseless and fabricated’. He said that the church authorities have also filed several cases against me in court with false allegations, but he have not filed any.
On Monday, the High Court issued an injunction saying that nobody can obstruct any activities of Chandrakanta Memorial Church. The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mustafizur Rahman issued the injunction with a rule after hearing a writ filed by three people, including James Ananda Biswas, the acting chief priest of the church.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua stood for the writ.
Those who have been made respondent include, secretaries of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Barisal S M Ajior Rahman, the upazila nirbahi officer of Uzirpur, and OC of Uzirpur police station. They have four weeks to respond to the rule.