ICC Note:
Yesterday, a catholic priest was attacked and left in critical conditions by unknown assailants in northern Bangladesh. Today, the priest is recovering at a hospital and is showing good signs for recovery despite the brutality of the attack. Many have rumored that ISIS operating in Bangladesh was behind the attack. In September, two other Christian foreigners were attacked by unknown assailants, both of whom were killed.
11/19/2015 Bangladesh (Asia News) – Father Piero Parolari, a physician and missionary with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), who was attacked yesterday as he cycled to the Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, “is recovering in the Department of Anesthesiology at the military hospital in Dhaka. He is heavily medicated, but doing well; conscious and responding to stimulation,” a Catholic source told AsiaNews.
Speaking about the missionary’s current health condition, the source said that Fr Parolari “is suffering from a major trauma to the head because of the beatings” inflicted by his unidentified attackers. He is also heavily bruised around the eyes, and doctors found three broken ribs. As a result, he is suffering from respiratory problems and fluids had to be drained from his lungs.
Very little has transpired with respect to the attack, which occurred yesterday around 8:30 am (local time), when Fr Parolari was riding his bicycle to work. However, the source noted that some inconsistencies have emerged in the police version of the facts.
What is known is that three men on a motorcycle attacked the priest, leaving him with slashes to the head, perhaps from a knife, as well as gunshot wounds.
Initially brought to a local hospital in Dinajpur, he was taken in the afternoon by army helicopter to the Combined Military Hospital in Bangladesh’s capital. At least “four intelligence services are investigating the case,” the source noted.
Many priests in Dinajpur have been placed under military protection. And police told PIME brothers “to stay at home and only go out under escort.”
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