DHAKA, Oct 09, 2024 (BSS) – BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said Bangladesh is a unique example of communal harmony.

“We fought for our independence in 1971. The core spirit of the independence was to build a truly non-communal society in Bangladesh and a totally democratic state. We are working to materialize that goal,” he said.

The BNP leader also said: “We all have to take the opportunity of the changeover of ‘5/8’. This country does not belong to anyone alone”.

Mirza Fakhrul said this while exchanging greetings with Hindu devotees during his visit to the central Puja Mandap of Dhakeshwari National Temple in the city.

On behalf of the BNP Chairperson and the Acting Chairman, he extended greetings to the Hindu devotees and said, “May this Durga Puja bring unparallel joy to your lives, pave the way for a beautiful future and may Bangladesh truly become an example of communal harmony—that is my wish, that is my hope”.

BNP secretary general along with other central leaders visited the temple on the first day of the Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community.

The festival began today with invocation of Goddess Durga on the day of Maha Shasthi.

Mohanagar Sarbojaneen Puja Udjapan Committee President Jayanta Kumar Deb and General Secretary Tapash Chandra Paul, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar and General Secretary Santosh Sharma and other leaders of the Puja Udjapan Committee welcomed the BNP secretary general at the Puja Mandap.

“The goddess, you are worshipping and whom you call Maa Durga, emerged to eliminate the demon, remove injustice and establish the brotherhood, friendship and harmony among people. She (Durga) was also emerged to eliminate hatred, revenge and retaliation and create a society with love and affection,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

“Today, we got that opportunity. By defeating a terrible and monstrous power, we have been able to create the possibility of building a new Bangladesh where there will have no disparity, discrimination, fanaticism and communalism among us. There will have no politics of revenge or hatred between one community and another,” he added.

The BNP secretary general said different problems of the Dhakeshwari National Temple were solved under the initiatives of the then Mayor of undivided Dhaka City late Sadeque Hossain Khoka and the cabinet members during the tenure of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

“We are considering your eight points. We have full sympathy for the core issue of the point. We can assure you that we will always stand by you to resolve your every problem like previous times ,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it is true that a political party- I don’t want to mention the name here, has always claimed that they were the biggest saviour of the minority community. But if you look at all the past incidents, you will see that the men of that party were behind all those incidents,” Mirza Fakhrul added.

“Not only that, they (men of that party) were also behind the grabbing of your community's land and property in Bangladesh,” he said.

The BNP secretary general said if BNP forms the government with the public mandate in future, an impartial investigation will be conducted into every incident of persecution and oppression against the Hindu community and justice will be ensured.

BNP Standing Committee Member Dr AZM Zahid Hossain and Chairperson’s Advisory Council Member Abdus Salam, Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad Presidium Member Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, BNP Assistant Secretary on Youth Affairs Mir Newaz Ali Newaz and Assistance Secretary on Religious Affairs Amalendu Das Apu, and Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP Member Secretary Tanvir Ahmed Rabin among others spoke on the occasion.

BNP leader Mir Sarafat Ali Safu, Jubo Dal leaders Ishaq Sarker and Hamidur Rahman Hamid, Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Kallyan Front Member Secretary Tapan Dey were present on the occasion.

Later, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with other central leaders visited Puja Mandaps in Banani and exchanged views with the members of the Hindu community.