Dhaka, Oct 19 (V7N)- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said civic identity, rather than religious identity, should be the foundation of efforts to build Bangladesh, urging people of all faiths and professions to work together for the country’s progress.
He made the remarks on Sunday night while visiting Durga Puja mandaps in Mohakhali and the Gulshan-Banani area of the capital, where he exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community and other devotees.
Referring to the Liberation War of 1971, the movement to restore democracy and the mass uprising of 2024, the prime minister said people from different religious and social backgrounds had stood together during the country’s major struggles.
He called on citizens to maintain that spirit of unity in the days ahead, stressing that every citizen has equal rights regardless of religion or profession.
Tarique Rahman said people must work collectively to protect those rights and build a country where everyone can live with dignity and security. He also expressed hope that people of all religions would continue to live together peacefully for the next thousand years.
During his visit, the prime minister went to the Mohakhali Raksha Kali Temple, where he exchanged greetings with leaders of the Puja Celebration Committee and members of the Hindu community.
He later visited a Durga Puja mandap in Banani and greeted worshippers and visitors attending the celebrations.
The visits came as Durga Puja festivities continued across Bangladesh, with calls for communal harmony, equal rights and peaceful coexistence.
END/SMA/AJ
