Church of Bangladesh Diocese of Dhaka

Metropolitan Diocese of Church of Bangladesh

Metropolitan Diocese of Dhaka

ঢাকা মহাধর্মপ্রদেশ

Church of Bangladesh

St Thomas Cathedral, Dhaka

Coat of Arm of Dhaka's Archbishop

Incumbent:
Samuel Sunil Mankhin
Style| The Most Reverend
Location
Country| Bangladesh
Ecclesiastical province| Dhaka
Deaneries| 3
Statistics
Area| 21,381.52 km2 (8,255.45 sq mi)
Parishes| 29
Members| 12500+ (as of December, 2024)[1]
Information
First holder| James D. Blair
Formation| 1952
Rite| Church of Bangladesh Book of Common Prayer
Established| 1956
Cathedral| St Thomas Church, Dhaka
Current leadership
Parent church| Church of Bangladesh
Governance| Episcopal
Metropolitan Archbishop| Samuel Sunil Mankhin
Suffragans| Diocese of Kushtia Diocese of Barisal
Dean| Very Reverend Emmanuel Mollick
Bishops emeritus| James D. Blair Barnabas Dejen Mondal

The Church of Bangladesh Metropolitan Diocese of Dhaka is the metropolitan and main diocese of Church of Bangladesh (a United Protestant denomination) that was erected in 1956 by dividing the Diocese of Calcutta; the diocese was originally called "East Bengal"[2] and covered all of East Pakistan after the partition of India. It was a part of the Anglican Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon until the formation of the united Protestant Church of Pakistan in 1970, which merged Lutheran, Anglican, and Presbyterian denominations in that country. It became the sole diocese of the Church of Bangladesh upon the church's 30 April 1974 independence. Since it was split to create Kushtia diocese, the bishop of Dhaka has usually also been moderator and primate of the Church of Bangladesh.[3] The other 2 dioceses of Church of Bangladesh are under its governance.

## List of bishops

[edit]

* 1956–1975: James D. Blair (assistant bishop of Calcutta (for East Bengal), 1951–1956)[4]
* 1975–2003: B. D. Mondal (consecrated 16 February 1975, Oxford Mission Church)
* 2003–2009: Michael S. Baroi (installed 24 January 2003)
* 2009 - 18 February 2019 (ret.): Paul Shishir Sarker (Moderator 2009[5] - 19 November 2018)[6]
* 2019–present: Samuel Sunil Mankhin[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Congregations". Church of Bangladesh. 29 January 2012.
2. ^ "Obituaries: Bishop James Blair". Church Times. No. 6677\. 1 February 1991. p. 6\. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 24 July 2019 - via UK Press Online archives.
3. ^ "Our History". Church of Bangladesh. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
4. ^ "Gazette: deaths". Church Times. No. 6677\. 1 February 1991. p. 5\. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 24 July 2019 - via UK Press Online archives.
5. ^ Conger, George (3 January 2016). "Primates of the Anglican Communion - Moderator of the Church of Bangladesh". Anglican Ink © 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
6. ^ "Church of Bangladesh has new Moderator and Deputy Moderator". Church of Bangladesh. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020.