No Country Matches Bangladesh in Communal Harmony: President

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Bangladesh’s communal harmony has no parallel anywhere else in the world. He said that while violence and conflicts continue across the globe, members of the Hindu community are celebrating Durga Puja peacefully in Bangladesh. He called on people from all communities to remain united to preserve this harmony.

The President made the remarks on Sunday (October 18) after visiting a Durga Puja mandap at Ramna Kali Temple in the capital. Criticising what he described as misinformation and misinterpretation about communal harmony in Bangladesh, he said mutual respect, love and peaceful coexistence among people of all religions must be maintained.

Highlighting the significance of Durga Puja, Mirza Fakhrul said one of the festival’s key messages is the victory of good over evil. He said that evil forces had emerged in Bangladesh in the past, but the people of the country had united to defeat them. He also remarked that the nation had been united under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia to overcome such forces.

Regarding security at Puja mandaps, the President said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed the government and BNP leaders and activists to ensure security at every venue. Party leaders and activists had also been directed to play a responsible role alongside law enforcement agencies, he added.

He said attempts were being made in different parts of the world to deliberately undermine communal harmony. Condemning such activities, he stressed that everyone must work to preserve Bangladesh’s communal harmony.

The President expressed regret that he could not interact more closely with the devotees present at the event. Noting that state regulations and formalities had prevented everyone from attending, he said he would have been happier if he could have visited the Puja mandap with thousands of people.

He expressed hope that security arrangements for future Puja celebrations could be made more normal and less restrictive. An environment should be created where religious festivals can be celebrated without the need for excessively tight security measures, he said.

Earlier, on October 14, the President proposed forming a national committee comprising representatives of relevant communities to ensure the legitimate rights and dignity of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and ethnic minority groups.

He made the proposal during a meeting with a delegation from the Bangladesh Buddhist Cultural Promotion Association at Bangabhaban.