Dhaka: In order to eliminate terrorism, violent extremism and fundamentalism, Bangladesh has taken various steps by adopting zero tolerance policy.
Speaking at a side event on Tuesday (Feb. 4) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, addressing the 'hate speech and incitement to end violence: coordination between the UN management', Bangladesh called for international interfaith harmony in this regard told Rabab Fatima, permanent envoy of Bangladesh to UN.
On the occasion of Interfaith Friendship Week, the United Nations hosted a side-event of the ‘Genocide Prevention and Responsibility to Protect’ office. The co-hosts were Bangladesh, Morocco and Italy.
Ambassador Fatima quoted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's popular statement, "Religion whose whose, but festival for everyone" and highlighted how Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians are living together in peace and harmony in Bangladesh.
The permanent representative said that religious leaders and teachers are seen with the highest regard in our society and that is why we have put them in the front line to prevent abuse of religion, hate speech, intolerance and violence from the society.
In this regard, she cited several examples of participation of religious leaders, mosques, religious shrines and religious institutions. Ambassador Rabab Fatima mentioned the Zero Tolerance Policy of the Government of Bangladesh and various steps taken by the Government in this regard to eliminate terrorism, violent extremism and fundamentalism.
She added that we have taken the 'total society' approach to this and incorporated the issue of fundamentalism and terrorism in the school curriculum.
In this regard, Ambassador Fatima mentioned various aspects of Bangladesh's participation in the multilateral framework. "We are a founding member of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCREF) and a member of the group of Friends on interfaith campaign, intercultural dialogue and violent extremism," she said. In addition, we are constantly working to promote inter-cultural dialogue through Bangladesh's flagship resolution 'Culture of Peace'.
The Permanent Representative mentioned several recommendations to take forward the UN's ongoing action on related issues, including action plans, to prevent hate speech. In this case, she addressed the Rohingya crisis.
Adam Dien, Special Envoy to the UN Secretary-General's Office on Genocide Prevention, moderated the event. He lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for introducing formal education at the Rohingya camp recently in Cox's Bazar. In addition to the UN member states, various civil society organizations participated in the program.