Christian leaders want societies registration act left alone

Concerned Christian church leaders have met Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requesting the government keep the existing law under which Churches are registered intact.

The move came out of concern over media reports that said the status of voluntary organizations would be subject to a new draft bill being considered by the government.

A delegation of six Church leaders called on the premier on May 30 at her official residence in Dhaka.

The delegation included Archbishop Paulinus Costa and Holy Cross Auxiliary Bishop Theotonius Gomes of Dhaka; Protestant Church leaders Reverend Leor P. Sarker, general secretary of Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship, Joyanta Adhikari, president of Bangladesh Baptist Church Shangha (organization), and Danis Dilip Datta, president of the National Christian Fellowship of Bangladesh.

The Church leaders handed the prime minister a letter expressing their concerns over the proposed bill that incorporates amendments to the Voluntary Social Welfare Organization (Registration and Control) Act of 1961. They fear the amendments could render the Societies Registration Act of 1860 invalid, thereby bringing into question issues such as Churches´ ability to own properties and their autonomy.

If the 1961 act “is altered or abrogated, in a manner that all entities are to be registered under the capacity of ´voluntary organizations,´ the churches will need to have their own particular law for registration, similar to particular laws of other religious organizations,” the letter said.

Archbishop Costa, head of the Bangladesh Catholic Church, told UCA News the religious leaders are very concerned their Churches could be classified as volunteer organizations. This in turn could have implications regarding religious freedom, church property, education work and the running of charitable activities and institutions such as orphanages.

Bishop Gomes stressed: “We are not voluntary organizations but permanent societies — Christian societies. We have permanent status. Therefore we don´t want the Churches treated as voluntary organizations. There needs to be two distinct laws: one for voluntary organizations and one for permanent bodies.”

According to Archbishop Costa, the prime minister said she would look into the matter.