Equal rights for people of all faiths ensured, says PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last night said her government wants everyone, irrespective of religion, caste and creed, to live with equal rights and follow their religion freely and with festivity.
“The government has been working hard to create such an environment,” she said.
Hasina was addressing members of the Buddhist community at her official Gono Bhaban residence in the capital marking Buddha Purnima.
Referring to the 15th amendment to the constitution, she said her government ensured equal rights for believers of all religions and restored the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War through this amendment.
“People of all faiths in the country are enjoying their religious rights equally and peacefully due to the bold and prudent steps of the present government,” she said.
Hasina said the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government tarnished Bangladesh's image and projected it to the world as a country of militancy.
“But, we have brightened the country's image by rooting out militancy and terrorism,” she said.
She said, apart from Awami League acitivists, people of Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Buddhist communities were also brutally tortured and repressed during the five-year “dark chapter” of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government from 2001.
“As many as 21,000 AL leaders and workers and 16 journalists were killed during this time,” she said.
Hasina said her present government, after assuming office in 2009, did not take any revenge for the torture and repression as AL does not believe in the politics of vengeance.
“Rather, we applied our all out strength for the welfare of the people and development of the country,” she said, adding that this resulted in tremendous development in different fields of the country.
Extending her heartiest greetings to the people of the Buddhist community on the occasion, Hasina called upon all to work unitedly to ensure advancement of the country by following the message of non-violence of Lord Buddha.
“We want to build Bangladesh as a hunger and poverty-free peaceful country in South Asia following the teachings of Lord Buddha,” she said.
Bangladesh Buddha Krishti Prachar Sangha President Bishuddhananda Mohathero and Buddhist Welfare Trust Vice President Sajal Kumar Talukdar also addressed the function, conducted by Supta Bhushan Barua.
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