Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged all to protect communal harmony in the country as the Muslims who are minorities elsewhere outside Bangladesh could be oppressed if the minorities in the country are oppressed. “Although the Muslims are the majority in Bangladesh, there are many countries where the Muslims are the minority,” she said.
The Prime Minister urged all to work together, irrespective of their class and creed, to protect the country’s thousand years of nurtured harmony at any cost. “I want Bangladesh to establish herself as a country of communal harmony in South Asia,” she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing a function at Ramu Central Sima Bihar marking the inauguration of 12 Buddhist temples and Bihars, including Ramu Bimukti Bidarshan Bhavana Kendra, Ramu Kendriyo Sima Bihar and Ramu Moitree Bihar. Ramu Central Sima Bihar principal Satyapriya Mohathero and general secretary of its managing committee Tarun Barua were, among others, present on the occasion. Besides, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the USA, Russia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan and diplomats of South Korea, China and Australia were also present. Later, the Prime Minister went round some of the rebuilt temples and Bihars. Fanatics vandalised and torched Buddhist temples and houses in Ramu and Ukhia of Cox’s Bazar on September 29 and 30 last year, following a fake Facebook post that demeaned the holy Quran.
Terming Bangladesh as a country of non-communal spirit, Hasina said attacks are often unleashed on the country. “I don’t want further attack to come and people of all religions would live in the country with equal rights.” In this regard, the Prime Minister said the government would have to ensure the security and safety of the country’s minority communities considering the safety and securities of the minorities in other countries.
Referring to the unwarranted attacks on the Buddhist temples and Biharas at Ramu and Ukhia on September 29 and 30 last year, Hasina said, “We don’t want such incidents to recur. Let’s work together so that all of us could live in this country enjoying equal rights.” Hasina hoped that through rebuilding and renovating these temples and Bihars, the wounds created earlier among the Buddhist people after the damage of their temples and Bihars have been healed.
From the very past, the Prime Minister said, Bangladesh has been recognised in the global arena as a nation with moderate religious values while the constitution of Bangladesh has also ensured equal rights of people from all religions. Recalling that some 12 temples and Bihars in Ramu and seven in Ukhia were damaged on that day following the instigation of some fanatics and miscreants, Hasina said she then had visited the Buddhist temples and Bihars on October 8 last year and committed to rebuilding those.
Later, the Bangladesh Army was given the charge of rebuilding these temples and Bihars under a project, titled ‘Rebuilding and Renovation of damaged Buddhist Bihars and Temples’, spending Tk 20 crore. The Bangladesh Army rebuilt and renovated these Buddhist temples and Bihars in 19 separate places incorporating the traditional designs of the renowned architects from the Buddhist community.
Mentioning that her government has given equal importance to the development of all religious worships, including mosques, temples, churches and pagodas, Hasina said already renovation of Dharmarajik Buddhist Mahabihar, Merul-Badda Buddhist Bihar, Chittagong Buddhist Bihar have been completed apart from providing land to Buddhist Bihar in city’s Uttara and another seven katha land for Dharmarajik Buddhist Mahabihar. – UNB
