Diocese of

Dinajpur

Bangladesh

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Dinajpur / Dinaipuren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Dhaka

Neighbouring Dioceses: Raiganj (←), Jalpaiguri (↑), Bongaigaon (↗), Tura (→), Joypurhat (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Francis Xavier

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1927.05.25: Established as Diocese of Dinajpur / Dinaipuren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Krishnagar and became suffragan of Calcutta)
1950.07.15: Became suffragan of Dacca
1952.01.17: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Jalpaiguri and Apostolic Prefecture of Malda
1990.05.21: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Rajshahi
2026.03.25: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Joypurhat

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.10.29 – ...):

Bishop Sebastian Tudu (58)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Dinajpur (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sebastian Tudu (58)
(2011.10.29 – ...)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh)

Thy kingdom come

Born:	1967.06.17 (Changura, Bangladesh)
Ordained Priest:	1999.12.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.01.27

Priest of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1999.12.30 – 2011.10.29)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (2011.10.29 – ...)

Bishop Moses Costa, C.S.C. (later Archbishop)
(1996.07.05 – 2011.04.06)

Joy of Communion in Contemplation and Service

Born:	1950.11.17 (Toomilla, Bangladesh)
Ordained Priest:	1981.02.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.09.06
Died:	2020.07.13 (Dhaka, Bangladesh † 69)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1996.07.05 – 2011.04.06)

General Secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (2007.07 – 2020.07.13)

Bishop of Chittagong (Bangladesh) (2011.04.06 – 2017.02.02)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Chittagong (Bangladesh) (2017.02.02 – 2018.12.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Chattogram (Bangladesh) (2018.12.28 – 2020.07.13)

Bishop Theotonius Gomes, C.S.C. (86)
(1978.12.19 – 1996.02.23)

Titular Bishop of Zucchabar
Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Dhaka (Bangladesh)

Let us listen to our Lord

Born:	1939.04.09 (Madbortek, Bangladesh)
Ordained Priest:	1964.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1979.04.04

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1978.12.19 – 1996.02.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Dhaka (Bangladesh) (1996.02.23 – 2014.04.28)

Titular Bishop of Zucchabar (1996.02.23 – ...)

Bishop Michael Rozario (later Archbishop)
(1968.09.05 – 1977.12.17)

Born:	1926.01.18 (Solepur, Bangladesh)
Ordained Priest:	1956.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.12.08
Died:	2007.03.18 (Dhaka, Bangladesh † 81)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1968.09.05 – 1977.12.17)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Dhaka (Bangladesh) (1977.12.17 – 2005.07.09)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (1978 – 2005)

Bishop Joseph Obert, P.I.M.E.
(1948.12.09 – 1968.09.05)

Born:	1890.04.01 (Lignod di Ayas, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1915.04.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1949.02.06
Died:	1972.03.06 († 81)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1948.12.09 – 1968.09.05)

Titular Bishop of Abziri (1968.09.05 – 1972.03.06)

Bishop Giovanni Battista Anselmo, P.I.M.E.
(1929.02.07 – 1947.10.16)

Born:	1880.10.26 (Arenzano, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1907.09.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1929.04.01
Died:	1953.02.19 († 72)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1929.02.07 – 1947.10.16)

Titular Bishop of Hadrianopolis in Honoriade (1947.10.16 – 1953.02.19)

Bishop Santino Taveggia, P.I.M.E.
(1927.06.18 – 1928.06.02)

Born:	1855.05.20 (Cologno Monzese, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1879.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1906.11.04
Died:	1928.06.02 († 73)

Bishop of Krishnagar (India) (1906.08.23 – 1927.06.18)

Bishop of Dinajpur (Bangladesh) (1927.06.18 – 1928.06.02)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Dinajpur, Rajshahi

Raiganj (←), Jalpaiguri (↑), Bongaigaon (↗), Tura (→), Joypurhat (↓)

Statistics (2026)

Area: 16,019 km²

Population: 73,653 Catholics (0.4% of 17,371,387 total)

Pastoral Centres: 19 parishes

Personnel: 62 priests (42 diocesan, 20 religious), 159 religious (3 brothers, 156 sisters), 47 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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