Work unitedly to build modern Bangladesh
PM urges all irrespective of religion, caste and creed
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the puja mandap at Dhakeshwari Temple in the city yesterday on Mahanavami, the fourth day of Durga puja. Photo : PMO
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the countrymen irrespective of religion, caste and creed to work unitedly for building a modern, illiteracy-free and digital Bangladesh. She made the call during her visit to Dhakeshwari Temple in the city on the occasion of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community. Hasina reiterated her determination to maintain the socio-economic security and dignity for all citizens of the country. She also called upon all citizens to maintain communal harmony in the country. Hasina felicitated the people of the Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja. “We are working so people could celebrate their festivals in a peaceful and harmonious environment”, she said. Hasina mentioned that in 1971 people of all faiths - Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist -- worked unitedly for freeing the country from the invading forces. “In this independent Bangladesh, the people of all religions will live with honour,” she said. “Bangladesh is a secular country. Secularism doesn't mean absence of religion; it means people of all religions are free to practise their own religion, which has also been mentioned in the holy Quran.” Hasina mentioned that the countrymen celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in a peaceful way. People of the Hindu community will also be able to celebrate puja in a secure environment with peace. She thanked the law enforcers, including police, Ansar and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), for successfully maintaining law and order. Hasina mentioned that 27,000 'puja mandaps' have been erected across the country and such a large number of mandaps were never erected before. She also mentioned that the number of Hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh has been increasing day by day. The prime minister, however, lamented that the country has not yet been freed from illiteracy. “Our government is working for building up a illiteracy-free Bangladesh,” she said. Local lawmaker Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Pradip Chakravorty, a priest of the temple, received the prime minister at the Dhakeshwari Temple and greeted her with flowers. Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, State Minister for Home Shamsul Haq Tuku, PM's Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Tareq Ahmed Siddique and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were present. Chief patron of Sarbojanin Puja Committee Maj Gen (Retd) CR Dutta, its President Biresh Chandra Saha and General Secretary Babul Devnath also spoke on the occasion. Later, the prime minister visited Ram Krishna Mission in the city where she urged all to build Bangladesh as the most peaceful country in South Asia. She said everybody has equal rights to live with freedom and peace in Bangladesh, which emerged through the War of Liberation.
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