All faiths should fight terrorism

People of all faiths should jointly launch an idealistic battle against terrorists, who are killing innocents in the name of religion, religious leaders of different communities and eminent persons said at a peace symposium yesterday.

Referring to the Liberation War, jurist Kamal Hossain said, "There had been blows against a secular Bangladesh many times in history. But at the end justice always prevailed."

"Politics in the name of religion must be banned," said writer and researcher Shahriar Kabir, pointing out how extremist factions in every religion use faith to justify killing people of other faiths.

The symposium was organised by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Bangladesh at the National Museum.

International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Tureen Afroz asked whether a state needs a religion. "A state cannot fast, pray or go to heaven -- why then does it need a religion?"

Ven Shunandaprio Bhikkhu, from the Buddhist temple at Badda, said the breeding places of communalism should be destroyed.

Father Tapan D'Rozario said throughout history more people died in religious wars than in natural disasters.

Journalist Julfikar Ali Manik said there seemed to be a dearth of courage in supporting bloggers, who were persecuted by Islamic terrorists. "We need to increase our  tolerance level beyond the sky limit," he said.

Security analyst Gen Abdur Rashid (retd) also spoke of increased tolerance for dissent.

"The source of fund and arms supply of terrorist groups should be stopped," said Moulana Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury, missionary in-charge, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at.

He said true Islam prohibited killing of innocents.