President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday called for united efforts to ensure the rights and dignity of people from all religious and ethnic communities and build a Bangladesh based on equal rights and communal harmony.
He made the call when a delegation of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Welfare Front paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban in the afternoon.
During the meeting, the president said people of all communities enjoy equal rights in Bangladesh, where Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths and communities have been living together.
“Everyone’s equal rights, dignity and opportunities must be ensured to build a harmonious Bangladesh,” he said.
The president said all concerned must work together to overcome the crises created by the previous government and put the country on the right track.
He said he was aware of the problems, sufferings and expectations of ethnic minorities as well as Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities.
The president gratefully recalled the important participation and cooperation of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities in making the 13th parliamentary election a success.
Referring to the nomination of more candidates from the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities for reserved women’s seats, he said the government was firmly committed to ensuring equal participation of people from all communities in the country’s development and progress.
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called for forming a national committee comprising representatives of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities.
He said such a committee could play an effective role in coordinating with the government and properly presenting various issues concerning the communities.
“Everyone’s representation and participation must be ensured in the country’s development. No single group can move forward alone,” he said.
During the meeting, the delegation invited the president to visit the Durga Puja celebrations at Dhakeshwari Temple and Ramna Kali Temple in Dhaka.
The president accepted the invitation and assured them of his presence at the celebrations.
The delegation also placed various demands before the president. In response, he stressed the need for collective efforts to help those who had been deprived in the past and assured the delegation that the issues raised by them would be considered with due importance.
The delegation included Sh Ching Prue Jerry, minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs; Bijon Kanti Sarker, special assistant to the prime minister and chairman of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Welfare Foundation; Tapan Chandra Majumder, adviser to the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust; Advocate John Gomes, religious affairs assistant secretary and member of the BNP National Executive Committee; Sushil Chandra Barua, member of the BNP National Executive Committee and adviser to the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Welfare Front; and representatives of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities.
The president’s military secretary, secretary and press secretary were also present.