President M Abdul Hamid today urged the people of all religions to remain alert so that no person or group can impede social discipline using religion, reports BSS.
“Religion leads people to the way to true and right . . . inspires people for human welfare. No religion supports militancy, fundamentalism or terrorism,” he said while exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community at a reception at Bangabhaban marking the Janmashtami, an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
The President also asked all to build a strong social resistance if anyone tries to create anarchy and simultaneously to continue collective endeavor to keep up the trend of national development and progress.
The head of the state also asked the people to maintain communal harmony at any cost as the participation of all people irrespective of religions, castes and creeds accelerated victory in all struggles and movements including the country’s great Liberation War.
He stressed utilizing the non-communal spirit to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“Communal harmony is our great tradition . . . Strengthen the existing harmony and friendship more in the society to build a happy and a prosperous Bangladesh for the present and future generation,” the President appealed to the people of all faiths.
Bangladesh celebrates, the President said, all religious festivals with fervor and gaiety, but each festival becomes universal with spontaneous participation of all.
Abdul Hamid said since long the tradition of unison with all including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians was built based on collective efforts and mutual empathy.
Greeting the people of Hindu community on the occasion, he said the prime ideal of Sri Krishna was to build the ties of real love and harmony among the people removing all sorts of injustice, repression, torture and conflict from the society.
The President mentioned that Sri Krishna emerged as a social reformer to thwart evil forces and protect religion and good people in the society.
Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman and secretaries concerned accompanied the President during the reception.
Besides, Hindu religious personalities, leaders of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Dhaka Mahanagar Sarbajonin Puja Committee, Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad and people from various professions of the community joined the reception. They also presented bouquets to the President.
Several lawmakers, judges, ambassadors and high commissioner of India to Bangladesh, senior journalists of the Hindu community, among others, also joined the reception.
The invited guests were entertained with traditional food items at the Darbar Hall. The President went round different corners there and exchanged greetings with them.