A Catholic Priest’s mission to promote peace, inclusion, and empathy in a Muslim-majority Nation

"My teaching at Dhaka University is an opportunity to witness my priestly vocation and share the joy of Christianity among students,” De Rozario.

In the bustling classrooms of Dhaka University, Father Tapan Camillus De Rozario, a Catholic priest and professor, finds himself in a unique position: guiding students in Muslim-majority Bangladesh to embrace empathy, tolerance, and understanding across religious and cultural divides.

As the only Catholic priest teaching at the public university, which serves around 50,000 students, Father De Rozario sees his role as both a teacher and a bridge-builder.

Ordained by Pope John Paul II in Dhaka in 1986, Father De Rozario brings a lifetime of dedication to peacebuilding and interreligious dialogue.

He holds a licentiate and doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical University of Urbaniana in Rome.

His past roles have included serving as deputy secretary to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, and associate editor of PRODIPON, a quarterly review on philosophy and theology.

He has also held leadership roles in the Bangladesh Chapter of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (ACRP) and the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF).

Father De Rozario joined Dhaka University in 2003 as a guest professor and became a full associate professor in the Department of World Religions and Culture in 2010.

He has taught subjects on various religious traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and indigenous religions, helping students explore the world’s faiths from an academic lens.

From 2015 to 2018, he served as the department chair, further solidifying his role as a mentor and advocate for interreligious understanding.

“My teaching at Dhaka University is an opportunity to witness my priestly vocation and share the joy of Christianity among students,” says De Rozario.

Beyond the classroom, he actively engages in programs such as the Dhaka University Mime Action (DUMA) and the Dhaka University Leadership Development Society (DULDS), where he encourages students to embrace common human values of respect, compassion, and understanding.

In his role, De Rozario emphasizes patience and openness, urging students to approach diverse religious views with mutual respect.

“In the face of these realities, we must demonstrate patience, openness, and commitment in fostering mutual respect and understanding,” he explains. “We focus on common human values through dialogue, empowering us to overcome obstacles.”

Father De Rozario believes that education is key to addressing misunderstandings and building a society grounded in peace and compassion.

“We all need to create a healthy environment to coexist and work toward the integral development of students,” he shares. “Understanding and respecting all faiths should be hallmarks for everyone, enabling us to work toward peace, justice, and compassion.”

In a region where differences can easily become points of division, De Rozario’s work in the Department of World Religions and Culture is a hopeful step toward a future of unity.

He is committed to helping his students become leaders who see diversity as a strength and an opportunity for collective growth.

"The next generation has an added edge to create a more inclusive and harmonious society,” he says, “where they are committed to sustainable development for all."

Father De Rozario’s mission is not only to educate but to inspire students to become agents of peace and understanding, embodying values that transcend the classroom and touch the heart of society itself.