Asianlayleader.com – In August 2022 ALL forum facilitated Moving School in Bangladesh with the theme theme “Youth for Interreligious/Intercultural Dialogue and Collaboration Promoting Religio-Cultural Pluralism for Public Good” along with Bangladesh Catholic Students Movement (BCSM) students.
It was a very interesting experience to understand how Interreligious interactions take palace in communities, especially, among indigenous communities who have adopted Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. Around 45 participants actively participated during this Moving School in Bangladesh. On the first day during community immersion the participants divided into 4 groups visited 4 different areas viz. Madhupur in Thangall District, Nalitabari and Jenaigati both in Sherpur District and Kalmakanda in Netrokona District.
The first group visited Madhupur in Thangall District were engaged in learning about the land grabbing issues faced by the indigenous community living there by the Bangladesh forest department for the purpose of lake digging. Another group visited Nalitabari in Sherpur District to engage with three indigenous communities, especially to learn how they are able to live harmoniously amid preexisting cultural and religious differences between Koch, Hajong and Garo communities.
The third group visited Jhenaigati area also in Sherpur District to understand and learn about the land grabbing issues and importantly about deforestation and rampant destruction by wild elephants in the area. And the last group of participants visited Kalmakanda in Netrokona District to spend time with the local communities and learn from their experiences when they were drastically affected by the recent July Floods in Bangladesh and also understand the issue of sand mining from river.