BNP-Jamaat Always Does Politics Of Revenge And Tries To Attack On Hindu Community: PM

"In the name of foiling the January 5 election, the BNP-Jamaat nexus unleashed atrocities on the people of all faiths. Hindu, Muslim, Christian none could escape from the wrath of BNP- Jamaat," she said.

She added that the BNP-Jamaat by selecting made attacks on the people who believe in the spirit of the independence. "They killed 17 people in Satkhira alone at that time and they did not see who was Muslim, who was Hindu and who was Christian," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said: "We will have to come out of this place, and build Bangladesh in non-communal spirit for which we fought unitedly during the War of Liberation."

The Prime Minister made the remarks when leaders of Janmashtami Udjapan Parishad, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad and Mohanagar Puja Udjapon Parishad called on her at her official Ganabhaban residence this evening on the occasion of Janmashtami.

Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad and Sector Commander Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta, senior Awami League leader and former minister Suranjit Sengupta, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikdar, President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad Kajal Devnath, General Secretary Jayanta Kumar Dev, President of Janmashtami Udjapon Parishad, Bangladesh, Ramesh Chandra Ghosh, General Secretary Tapan Kanti Das and President of Mohanagar
Puja Udjapon Parishad JL Bhowmik and ex-President of Janmashtami Udjapon Parishad Debashis Palit spoke at the function.

Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman was present at the dais.

At the outset of the function, a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect to the memories of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage.

Later, leaders of Janmashtami Udjapan Parishad, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mohanagar Puja Udjapon Parishad presented crests to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister told the people of the Hindu community that: "Bangladesh is your mother land and you have been born on the soil of this country."

"We want that you must live in this country by your own rights and a strong position and being imbued with the spirit of Lord Krishna who was a "Pujari" of truth, just and beauty. None would be able to expel you from this country," she said.

Putting emphasis on continuation of democracy in the country, the Prime Minister said that it is not possible to establish secularism and non-communal spirit without democracy.

"Without uninterrupted democracy, the rights of all religions won't be ensured, peace won't prevail and economic development of the country won't be made in the country," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said that through the 15th amendment to the constitution, the Awami League government reestablished the spirit of the Liberation War.

"The 15th amendment also ensured the capital punishment for those who will grab the state power violating the constitution. We did this to establish democracy on a solid foundation," she added.

Describing various steps of the government for ensuring the equal rights of all religions in the country, she said the people of all religions under the leadership of Bangabandhu liberated the country by fighting unitedly.

"So, all people of the country will live with equal rights and perform their religious rituals freely," she said.

Extending greetings to members of the Hindu community of the country, the Prime Minister said the message of Lord Krishna is "Checking the wicked and nurturing the good".

"It has been mentioned in all religions and people of all faiths believe in this principle, while the government is working to establish peace in the country by maintaining it," she said.

Referring to the steps taken by the present government for maintaining communal harmony in the country, Sheikh Hasina said all religious festivals, including eid and puja, are being celebrated beautifully and peacefully.

"People of the country celebrate the eid, puja and other festivals together with fanfare and gaiety," she said.

She called upon all to be united and said, "We would build Sonar Bangla, as dreamt by Bangabandhu, by establishing a non-communal democratic Bangladesh being imbued with the spirit of the War of Liberation."

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is moving fast and it would advance further. "No conspiracy would resist the advancement of the country," she asserted.

-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
Photo: Yeasin Kabir Joy