The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dhaka (Latin: Archidioecesis Dhakensis) is the Latin, main Metropolitan Metropolitan diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Bangladesh, but no longer the only one. It still depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The archdiocese's Marian mother church and thus seat of its archbishop is St. Mary's Cathedral in the national capital Dhaka. As senior Metropolitan in Bangladesh, it is the principal episcopal see of that country. As of 2013 the Archbishop of Dhaka is Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario, formerly Bishop of Chittagong, having been appointed Coadjutor Archbishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 2010, and succeeded Archbishop Paulinus Costa, C.S.C., in October 2011.
Its ecclesiastical province still has as suffragan sees
Roman Catholic Diocese of DinajpurRoman Catholic Diocese of MymensinghRoman Catholic Diocese of RajshahiRoman Catholic Diocese of Sylhet.On 2 February 2017, it lost as suffragans the henceforth Metropolitan new Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chittagong and both its simultaneously transferred suffragan sees: Roman Catholic Diocese of Barisal and Roman Catholic Diocese of Khulna.
It was erected it as the Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Bengal by Pope Pius IX on 12 February 1850.
It was promoted as Diocese of Eastern Bengal on 1 September 1886, and renamed as the Diocese of Dacca after its see in 1887.
On 25 May 1927 it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Chittagong, as its suffragan, but since 2017 itself a Metropolitan.
It was elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dacca by Pope Pius XII on 15 July 1950,
On 17 January 1952 it lost territory to establish the Apostolic Prefecture of Haflong.
It enjoyed its papal visit, from Pope Paul VI, in November 1970.
Pope John Paul II renamed it as the Archdiocese of Dhaka on 19 October 1982.
It enjoyed a second papal visit from Pope John Paul II in November 1986.
It lost territory on 15 May 1987 to establish the Diocese of Mymensingh and on 8 July 2011 again to establish the Diocese of Sylhet, as its suffragans.
(all Roman Rite, so far mostly (missionary) members of Latin congregations)
Apostolic Vicars of Eastern BengalThomas Oliffe (15 February 1850 – 2 November 1855), Titular Bishop of Milos (see) (Greece) (26 July 1843 – 13 May 1859), former Coadjutor Apostolic Vicar of Bengal (British India) (26 August 1843 – 15 February 1850); also Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Western Bengal (15 February 1850 – 2 November 1855), succeeding and transferred as Apostolic Vicar of Western Bengal (India) (2 November 1855 – death 13 May 1859)Pro-Vicar Apostolic Father Louis Verité, Holy Cross Fathers (C.S.C.) (6 June 1856 – 1860)Pierre Dufal, C.S.C. (3 July 1860 - 1866), Titular Bishop of Delcus (3 July 1860 – death 15 March 1898); later Superior General of Congregation of Holy Cross (Holy Cross Fathers) (25 August 1866 – 1868), Coadjutor Bishop of Galveston (Texas, USA) (14 May 1878 – 6 December 1879)Giordano Ballsieper, Subiaco Benedictines (O.S.B.Subl.) (4 February 1878 – April 1886), Titular Bishop of Tanasia (4 February 1878 – death 1 February 1890), later President of Subiaco Benedictine Congregation (1888 – 1 February 1890)Suffragan Bishops of DhakaAugustin Louage, C.S.C. (1890 – death 8 June 1894)Peter Joseph Hurth, C.S.C. (26 June 1894 – 15 February 1909); later Titular Bishop of Milopotamus (15 February 1909 – 7 January 1913), Bishop of Nueva Segovia (Philippines) (7 January 1913 – 12 November 1926), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Bostra (12 November 1926 – death 31 July 1935)Frederick Linneborn, C.S.C. (13 February 1909 – death 21 July 1915)Amand-Théophile-Joseph Legrand, C.S.C. (16 August 1916 – 9 November 1929): emeritate as Titular Bishop of Cyrene (9 November 1929 – 10 April 1937)Timothy Joseph Crowley, C.S.C. (9 November 1929 – death 2 October 1945), succeeded as former Titular Bishop of Epiphania (26 January 1927 – 9 November 1929) & Coadjutor Bishop of Dacca (26 January 1927 – 9 November 1929)Lawrence Leo Graner, C.S.C. (13 February 1947 – 15 July 1950 see below)Metropolitan Archbishops of DaccaLawrence Leo Graner, C.S.C. (see below 15 July 1950 - 23 November 1967); emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Vazari-Didda (23 November 1967 – 23 January 1971), died 1982Theotonius Amal Ganguly, C.S.C. (23 November 1967 – death 2 September 1977), also last President of Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (1971 – 1973), first President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (1973 – 1977); previously Titular Bishop of Oliva (3 September 1960 – 6 July 1965) & Auxiliary Bishop of Dacca (3 September 1960 – 6 July 1965), Titular Archbishop of Drizipara (6 July 1965 – 23 November 1967) & Coadjutor Archbishop of Dacca (6 July 1965 – 23 November 1967)Metropolitan Archbishops of DhakaMichael Rozario (17 December 1977 – retired 9 July 2005), also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (1978 – 2005); previously Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (5 September 1968 – 17 December 1977)Paulinus Costa (9 July 2005 – retired 22 January 2011), also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (August 2005 – 22 October 2011); previously Bishop of Rajshahi (Bangladesh) (11 January 1996 – 9 July 2005)Patrick D'Rozario, C.S.C. (22 October 2011 - ...), also President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (December 2011 – ...), created Cardinal-Priest of Nostra Signora del SS. Sacramento e Santi Martiri Canadesi (2016.11.19 – ...); previously Bishop of Rajshahi (Bangladesh) (21 May 1990 – 3 February 1995), Bishop of Chittagong (Bangladesh) (3 February 1995 – 25 November 2010), Coadjutor Archbishop of Dhaka (25 January 2010 – succeeding 22 October 2011).As per 2014, it pastorally served 64,960 Catholics (0.3% of 23,539,280 total) on 12,000 km² in 18 parishes and 14 missions with 115 priests (42 diocesan, 73 religious), 695 lay religious (132 brothers, 563 sisters) and 17 seminarians.
