Today marks the most important festival of the Christian calendar. As the 3 million Christians of the country get ready to celebrate Christmas, we hope this occasion will encourage us to share the Christmas cheer across communities.
This can be a time to reflect that we, as Bangladeshis, are a secular people with respect and tolerance for all religions. Christmas can then be an occasion for celebration not just for the Christian community, but a celebration of tolerance and harmony for all.
In recent times, the secular spirit of the country has been marred by communal violence. Incidents ranging from the destruction of Buddhist temples in Ramu, to the recent attacks on indigenous communities in the CHT region remind us that, in spite of calling ourselves secular, as a nation we have a long way to go in protecting the rights of religious and other minorities. We must fight against hatred and intolerance if we are to progress as a nation, and carry the torch of secularism the country was founded upon.
The Christmas spirit is one of sharing. Let us take some time to lend a helping hand to those in need, and have some consideration for the struggles of others. The Dhaka Tribune wishes all its readers a very Merry Christmas.