Dr. Father Tapan Camillus De Rozario

Dr. Fr. Tapan Camillus De Rozario is a Roman Catholic priest, ordained by Saint Pope John Paul II in 1986. He currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of World Religions and Culture at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

He received his early education from Notre Dame College, Dhaka (1976 - 1980), and completed his baccalaureate in philosophy and theology at the National Major Seminary, Banani, Dhaka (1980 - 1986), affiliated with the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome. He pursued advanced studies in biblical languages- Classical Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, modern Italian, German, French, and Sanskrit- at the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Biblicum), Rome (1990 - 1993). He obtained his Licentiate in Biblical Theology (1993) and Doctorate in Sacred Scripture and Biblical Theology (1995) from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome.

Dr. De Rozario is also trained in Contextual Theology (OMNIA), leadership development, youth formation, interfaith dialogue, ecumenism, spiritual formation, counseling, preaching, and religion and mass media.

Professionally, he served as Professor of Biblical Theology at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary, Banani, Dhaka (1996–2009). He began teaching in the Department of World Religions and Culture as an adjunct faculty member (2002–2009), and later joined as Assistant Professor in 2009. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2011.

His leadership roles include Deputy and Assistant Secretary General to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (2002–2007) and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Bangladesh (2007–2011). He is the founding principal of St. Paul’s Mission School and the founder of BARACA, the first rehabilitation center for drug addiction in Bangladesh (1987–1990).

Dr. De Rozario is deeply engaged in national and international interfaith and ecumenical initiatives through organizations such as the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace (ACRP), United Religions Initiative (URI), Interreligious Freedom (IRF), and Sorbo Dharmio Samprity Shabha (SDSS).

He served as associate editor of Prodipon, a quarterly philosophical and theological journal (1999–2019), and as editor of Shantir Dut, a children’s faith formation magazine (2007–2011). He has contributed to numerous Church and academic publications and editorial boards. His writings address Christian theology, human rights, trafficking in persons, HIV and AIDS, ecology and religion, religion and media, intercultural dialogue, Church history and architecture, and moral-legal dimensions of world religions. He has translated several papal documents into Bengali.

A strong advocate for youth engagement, Dr. De Rozario is the founding moderator of the Dhaka University Mime Action (DUMA) and the Dhaka University Leadership Development Society (DULDS). He is a regular contributor to academic journals, popular media, and interreligious forums, and frequently appears as a Bible reader and speaker on televised and streamed programs.