No religious community should be considered a political vote bank, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad has said.
The home minister made these comments as the chief guest while visiting a Puja mandap at Banani field in the capital on Friday night.
He said that as citizens of Bangladesh, everyone has the right to make decisions according to their own conscience. The public themselves will judge at which time their civic, democratic, and constitutional rights will be best protected.
He noted that a tendency to use religious communities for political interests was observed at various times in the past. However, he stressed that ensuring the freedom, dignity, and rights of every citizen beyond their religious identity is essential.
Emphasising the need to ensure the religious freedom, constitutional rights, and security of people of all faiths in Bangladesh, Salahuddin Ahmad pointed out that there should be no discrimination based on religion.
The right of every citizen to freely observe religious rituals and worship according to their respective faiths is recognised in the constitution.
Describing it as regrettable that the issue of ensuring security during Puja celebrations repeatedly comes under discussion, he said that people of all religions in the country should be able to celebrate their respective religious festivals without hindrance.
He added that a situation where security has to be requested to celebrate religious festivals is unfortunate for national life.
The home minister mentioned that Bangladesh has arranged the highest number of Puja mandaps, the highest allocation, and the maximum holidays this time. Various initiatives have been taken to make the religious festival joyful.
Calling upon people of all religions to demonstrate mutual respect, he observed that every faith possesses its own beliefs, rituals, and customs. These beliefs and rituals are deeply connected to people’s hearts.
Therefore, followers of all religions should respect the beliefs and religious practices of people of other faiths.
Praising the decoration of the Puja mandap, Salahuddin Ahmad noted that the mandap was beautifully decorated combining local culture, materials, and designs. Commending this initiative, he wished the organisers continued prosperity, peace, and well-being.
Ali Hossain Fakir, inspector general of Police (IGP); Mosleh Uddin, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner; and diplomatic representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, and Nepal also spoke at the event.
