Catholic Church, Alikadam

Panbazar

P.O. Alikadam

Dist. Bandarban

Bangladesh

Cell phone (parish priest): +88 01716586414

Sunday: 7.00 am. 

Monday-Saturday: 6.30 am. 

District: Bandarban

The area under Alikadam Upazila: Alikadam, Chokhyong.

The area under Naikhyongchari Upazila: Baishari, Dochhari, Ghumdhum, Naikhongchhari. 

History of Naming Alikadam: There are different opinions from different people about the naming of Alikadam Upazila. Contemporary history contains historical facts and statements along with local opinion. The origin of the name Alikadam from ‘Alohkyadong’. Which means the place between the mountains and the river. There is similarity in the naming of many hills in the hill tracts with this name. Such as: Keukradong, Merangdong, Peridong, Tajingdong, etc. The existence of this name Alohkyadong was found in the map drawn by the then East Pakistan Government in 1963 AD in the records of Bomang Chief of Bandarban Bomang Circle. British writer Captain T. H. Loin, ‘Alikadam’ is named after ‘Alley Kingdom’ . According to him ‘Alley’ means suppression and ‘kingdom’ means a territory. It is said that during the Mughal period, Subedar and King of Bengal Shaista Khan subjugated or suppressed a simple and small state power. Hence during the period of East India Company the name of this region was ‘Alley Kingdom’ or suppressed state. Moreover, it is said that 360 Islamic saints came to spread Islam in this subcontinent. Among them, a saint named Ali came to this region. This area was named Alikadam after being blessed by his position.

History of Christianity in Alikadam: In 1957, the seeds of Christianity were first sown in Kalajhiri Para of present day Alikadam Shanti Rani parish. From then until 2005 AD, the area of Alikadam parish was included in Bandarban parish. So far, no central and permanent church has been built in the parish. But there is a church in Kalajiri Para which continues to carry the tradition of the parish. The Kalajiri Para church was designed by Fr Bertram Nelson, CSC. The church was consecrated and inaugurated on December 29, 1983 dedicated to Saint Vincent de Paul. In 2005, the then Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC elevated Alikadam to the status of Parish and declared ‘Mary- Queen of Peace’ as the patron of the parish.

On April 29, 2016, miscreants attacked a few Christian families in and around the center of present-day parish in Panbazar area. Two Bengali traders were killed by someone in the area and the blame was placed on the Tripura community of Alikadam. As a result, some Tripura families’ houses and ancillary properties were burnt. The situation was brought under control with the help of the local administration and the burnt houses were rebuilt with government assistance.

Prior to the declaration of parish, Diocesan and Holy Cross priests from Bandarban served in Alikadam area. After the declaration of parish the Oblate priests took charge of Alikadam in 2006 AD. The LHC Sisters been doing service since 1995 till date in Alikadam area.

Educational Service: At present there are three hostels in Alikadam parish. In these hostels, boys and girls from remote areas reside and study in nearby schools.

Late Bishop Joachim Rozario, CSC laid foundation of Father Leo Hostel in Kalajiri Para. Fr. Lazarus Gomes and Fr. Robert Gonsalves blessed the hostel on February 15, 1995. In the beginning, LHC sisters were given the responsibility of running the hostel.

Fr. Lazarus Gomes and Fr. Nicolas Barai, CSC at the initiative of the late Bishop Joachim Rozario, CSC bought three kani land in Alikadam Panbazar area in 1996 and built a hostel. This hostel was temporarily closed in 1998-99 AD. The hostel was reopened in 2000 by the then Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC with the initiative of Fr. Atul Palma, CSC. The hostel opened on January 1 with 15 students and was named Brother Andre’s Hostel.

Recognizing the need for girls’ hostels to promote women’s education, on January 8, 2010, Bishop Patrick D’Rozario, CSC laid the foundation stone of the new hostel and blessed it on December 8, 2010 AD and named it as Shanti Rani Girls’ Hostel. In the first batch, the hostel had 20 students.

Alikadam Upazila is a hilly and backward township of Bandarban hill district. A missionary educational institution for proper education has long been a dream of the people of the region. Their dream began to be fulfilled in 2016 by Archbishop Moses M. Costa, CSC by laying the foundation stone of the school with three storied buildings. He blessed and inaugurated the school on January 21, 2018, naming it as ‘St Mary’s School, Alikadam’. Holy Cross Brothers were entrusted with the management of the school. 

Associations, Societies and Movements: Fr Bertram Nelson, CSC, in 1968, formed the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Kalajiri Para. Fr. Nelson started a savings society called ‘Rice Bank’ by collecting paddy from families and depositing 50 paisa to create a spirit of unity, love, fellowship among the people, which later became a credit union. After its activities became inactive, the savings association was relaunched in 2017 under the renewed inspiration of Archbishop Moses Costa. The activities of the credit union are ongoing in 9 paras. In 1996, the Holy Childhood Society was formed first in Kalajiri Para and later in other paras of the parish. In 1997, on the initiative of the LHC sisters, Maria Sangha was formed with the women of Kalajiri Para. In 2001 AD, the newly developed Panbazar para was included in the Sangha. When Alikadam was elevated to parish status in 2016, on August, 2006 AD, Maria Sangha was converted into ‘Legion of Mary’. On December 17, 2009 ‘Shanti Rani Youth Association’ was formed. The youth group is active in some paras.

Parish Priest: Fr. Bejoy Gabriel Rebeiro, OMI.

Assistant Parish Priest: Fr. Herat Mondol, OMI. 

Congregation of Holy Cross Brothers (CSC): 2 Brothers serving.

Sister of the Little Handmaids of the Church (LHC): 4 Sisters serving.

1. Local Pastoral Team (LPT).
2. Parish Pastoral Team (PPT). 
3. Liturgy Sub-Committee. 
4. Hostel Managing Committee. 

1. Saint Vincent De Paul Society (SSVP)
2. Holy Childhood Society
3. Legion of Mary
4. Shanti Rani Jubo Sangha
5. St. Joseph’s Association

1. Sacred Heart Minor Seminary,  Est. May 4, 2018 AD. 
2. St. Mary’s School, Alikadam, Est. January 21, 2018 AD.
3. Brother Andre’s Boys’ Hostel, Est. 2000 AD. 
4. Shanti Rani Girls’ Hostel, Est. 2005 AD. 
5. Father Leo Hostel, Kolajhiri Para, Est. 1995 AD. 

1. Mission Kormojibi Cooperative Credit Union Ltd.
2. Mothers’ Cooperative Credit Union Ltd.

Catholics: 3,175

Sub-centers: 2

Church blocks: 4

Church: 27

Catechist: 3

Prayer leaders: 29 (Full-time)

Prayer leaders: 8 (Volunteers)

Parish workers: 16

Sister Hanima Tripura, LHC