It was a grand celebration from January 25-27 for Notre Dame College, Dhaka, Bangladesh, as it celebrated its 75th anniversary of educating hearts and minds in the Holy Cross tradition.

The college was founded in 1949 at the request of Archbishop Lawrence Leo Graner, C.S.C., who invited the Holy Cross Fathers to establish a school in response to the lack of educational institutions that existed at that time in the recently formed East Pakistan. The school, one of the premiere educational institutions in the country, has grown in size and reputation with over 30,000 applications each year for only 3,300 available spaces.

The Most Rev. Kevin Randall, newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio, H.E. Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario, C.S.C., former Archbishop of Dhaka, the Most Rev. Bijoy D’Cruze, O.M.I., Archbishop of Dhaka and alumnus of Notre Dame, and Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General, were the chief guests at the event.

Each day hosted a different group of the school’s constituencies. Local government officials and other area schools were honored on January 25, with the following day being dedicated to the Notre Dame alumni, which drew over 10,000 people from both Bangladesh and abroad.

Learn more about Notre Dame College in Dhaka

The following morning began with a Mass for the religious communities in Dhaka and the Christian students and families. In the afternoon and evening, it was just the “Notre Dame family,” students, teachers, staff, and parents, joyfully celebrating their school and one another. Each of the three days incorporated inspiring speeches, honorable awards to distinguished members, and music, singing, and dancing.

All in all, over 20,000 people visited the Notre Dame campus during the three days.