Secular Bangladesh to prevail

There were times in history when communal and fundamentalist groups momentarily stood in the way of the country's progress, but in the long run a secular Bangladesh will prevail, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told a book launch at Bangla Academy yesterday.

The communal forces often tried to rise but they were always defeated, he said at the publication ceremony of "Bangalee Shomaj O Shahittye Shamprodayikota Ebong Moulobad" (communalism and fundamentalism in Bangalee society and literature).

Bangla Academy adapted the book from Awami League Presidium Member Nuh-Ul- Alam Lenin's doctoral dissertation at Jahangirnagar University.

"We thought communalism and fundamentalism would be uprooted through the birth of Bangladesh. But I was scared when I found out I was wrong," said Lenin.

"This research was an attempt to locate the source of communalism and fundamentalism in our society," he added.

Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman said research was an ambitious task at finding the actual nature of fundamentalism; the book will be a reference for future works on these two elements.

Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan said the academy's catalogue of research works was enriched with the addition of the book.

A history professor, Muntassir Mamoon, said whether communalism and fundamentalism would rise or remain dormant solely depend on how the state handled religion.

Prime minister's advisers Dr Mashiur Rahman and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, veteran politician Ajoy Roy, and President of Bangladesh National Museum's Board of Trustees M Azizur Rahman, among others, were present at the event.