Bangladesh Catholics plant 1 million trees inspired by Laudato Si’

Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sep 2, 2025 / 14:00 pm

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 mi