By Catholic News Agency
BANGLADESH – In Bangladesh, the call for “care for nature” in Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ has resonated deeply across religious lines. Christians, Protestants, and non-Christians alike have embraced its message, sparking environmental action in a country increasingly vulnerable to climate change.
Bangladesh, a coastal South Asian nation, faces frequent natural disasters — floods, cyclones, river erosion, and landslides — that claim lives and displace communities. Ranked as the ninth highest disaster-risk country globally, it sees hundreds of villagers migrating to cities each year due to river erosion and climate-induced hardship.
In response, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) launched an ambitious initiative to plant one million trees nationwide.
The program began on Aug 14, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with all bishops present at the CBCB Center in Dhaka.
“Planting trees remains one of the most powerful actions we can take to combat climate change, which is why our bishops prioritize it,” Father Tushar James Gomes, assistant secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, told Catholic News Agency.
“Laudato Si’ has significantly raised awareness about the importance of caring for our environment,” he added. “People now understand that protecting nature is not optional — it’s essential.”
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