Dhaka, Oct 4 (V7N) – President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today urged people of all faiths and communities to work together in mutual harmony to build an inclusive, democratic and prosperous Bangladesh.
He made the call as a delegation of the Sri Sri Hari-Guruchand Matua Mission Central Committee, led by its President Sri Padmanabha Thakur, paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban this afternoon. President's Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam told BSS that the President stressed the importance of preserving the unity and communal harmony that had helped shape the nation.
"People from all communities, including Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians, fought together in the country's Liberation War. Bangladesh achieved independence through their unity," the President said. "Any attempt to undermine this unity and harmony must be firmly resisted," he added.
Referring to the longstanding social bond between Hindus and Muslims in Bangladesh, the President urged all to remain vigilant to protect and strengthen communal harmony.
He also called for undertaking programmes and specific development initiatives for the welfare and socio-economic advancement of the underprivileged Matua community, assuring them of the government's all-out cooperation.
The President said attempts were being made to create divisions among people of different communities and spread negative propaganda only seven months after a democratic government assumed office. "Such attempts are in no way desirable," he said, urging everyone to uphold communal harmony and remain united.
He said rebuilding the country's devastated economic structure and taking the nation forward would be difficult, but the government was working relentlessly to achieve these goals through various initiatives and development plans. The President urged all to remain vigilant so that no one could undermine the opportunity to establish a liberal and democratic system in the country. He expressed hope that the desired goals would be achieved under the leadership of the present government by taking people from all communities along in the country's development journey.
During the meeting, the delegation invited the President to visit Sreedham Orakandi Thakur Bari, a pilgrimage site of the Matua community. The President assured them that he would visit the site.
The delegation included Sri Sri Hari-Guruchand Matua Mission Central Committee Executive President and Member of Parliament from a reserved women's seat Subarna Sikder (Thakur), committee advisers Ahsan Habib Opu and Somen Kumar Saha, General Secretary Debashish Biswas, and President of the Sri Sri Hari-Guruchand Matua Mission Khulna District Committee Nityananda Mondal, among other Matua community leaders. The President's Military Secretary, Secretary and Press Secretary were also present at the meeting.
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