Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has greeted the Hindu community in Bangladesh and around the world on Durga Puja. Equality, human dignity and social justice are at the heart of every religion, he said, and the welfare of humanity is among the teachings of all faiths. So, alongside practising their own religious rules and culture, people must keep up mutual respect, honour and sympathy to ensure an atmosphere of peace in society.
The prime minister said this in a message issued on Friday for Durga Puja.
“Religion is each person’s own; the state belongs to all. Religion is each person’s own; the right to safety belongs to all,” the prime minister said in the message. He also urged members of the Hindu community to celebrate Durga Puja with enthusiasm, without worry and in safety.
According to Hindu belief, the prime minister said, the goddess Durga comes down from heaven to earth to wish the world well. She brings welfare to her devotees, destroys enemies and nurtures creation. The destruction of evil and the worship of truth and beauty give the autumn Durga festival its unique significance.
People of different faiths in Bangladesh celebrate their own religious festivals, the prime minister said. These festivals are part of the beauty of the country’s age-old religious and social values and culture, and through religious, cultural and social activities the bonds of friendship, harmony, goodwill and brotherhood between people of different religions, groups and communities are expressed.
After the fascist was driven out at the cost of thousands of lives, the prime minister said, Bangladesh has set out once more on the path of democracy, and a huge effort to rebuild Bangladesh has begun. Their pledge is to build a caring, safe and humane Bangladesh for every citizen, regardless of party, opinion, religion or colour.
“May the country’s diverse society and outlook on life be enriched by the message of goodwill and harmony,” Tarique Rahman said. He expressed the hope that Hindu brothers and sisters would celebrate Durga Puja across the country with enthusiasm, without worry and in safety.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report