Information Minister stresses on maintaining communal harmony
Describing Bangladesh as a unique example of communal harmony in the world, Information Minister and Joint General Secretary od Awami League Dr. Hassan Mahmud called on all to be vigilant about the conspiracy to destroy this harmony.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a meeting and lantern festival at the International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda in the capital on Thursday (October 1) evening on the occasion of Prabarana Purnima, a Buddhist festival. On this occasion, the Minister greeted all Buddhists on the occasion of Pravarana Purnima and wished peace and prosperity to the people of the country.
Barrister Biplob Barua, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister and Office Secretary of the Awami League addressed the meeting as a special guest under the chairmanship of Bhadanta Dharmamitra Mahathero, Principal of the International Buddhist Monastery.
The Minister said Bangladesh has become an independent state under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with the aim of coming out of communal Pakistan and building a non-communal Bangladesh. That was the goal of the liberation war. Our freedom has been achieved in exchange for the combined blood of people of all religions.
Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a symbol of secularism and development-prosperity, Bangladesh under her leadership has been regarded as a unique example of inter-religious harmony in the world today. He said no Buddhist figure had been a special assistant to the Prime Minister before. The party's office secretary is holding two posts.
The Information Minister said that in Bangladesh religion belongs to separate individuals but festivals belong to all. But there are still conspiracies from home and abroad to destroy the communal harmony of the country. Everyone should be cautious about this.
Barrister Biplob Barua, in his speech, referred to the special prayer held on September 28 at the International Buddhist Monastery on the occasion of the Prime Minister's 74th birthday, saying the way Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina worked for the welfare of all religions is a rare example. The bond of inter-religious friendship must be maintained at all times, he said.
Ashok Barua, Executive President of the International Buddhist Monastery, President of the Buddhist Federation of Bangladesh Engineer Divyendu Bikash Barua, General Secretary Sunandapriya Barua, Vice-Chairman of Buddhist Religious Welfare Trust Suptabson Barua, Badda 21no. Ward Councilor Masum Gani Taposh, Badda Thana Awami League General Secretary Jahangir Alam addressed the meeting.
At the end of the meeting Hasan Mahmud along with the guests took part in blowing lanterns on the occasion of Prabarana Purnima at the Bihar premises.
On the full moon day of Shubha Pravarana in Buddhism, the great Gautama Buddha descended from the world to Sankashya City. The word persuasion has multiple meanings including hopefulness, meditation or completion of education and self-purification.