Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday urged everyone to work together, irrespective of class and creed, to preserve thousands of years of communal harmony at any cost in Bangladesh.
The prime minister was speaking at Cox’s Bazar Tuesday and said although non-communalism is deep-rooted in our society, but still violence occurs. She added: “I don’t want further attacks to come and people of all religions should live with equal rights in the country.”
The PM inaugurated 12 Buddhist temples and viharas, rebuilt after extremist groups destroyed then about a year ago in Ramu and Ukhia of Cox’s Bazar. UNB reports the PM visited the various buildings including the Bimukti Bidarshan Bhavana Kendra, Kendriyo Sima Bihar and the Moitree Bihar.
At a function held at the Ramu Kendriyo Sima Bihar, the Prime Minister said the government would have to ensure security and safety for the minority communities.
Principal of the Sima Bihar Satyapriya Mohathero and general secretary of the managing committee Tarun Barua were present at the event, along with foreign envoys from USA, Russia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan as well as diplomats from South Korea, China and Australia.
On September 29 and 30 last year, a rumour about the Koran being insulted lead to extreme elements vandalising and burning down ancinet Buddhist temples and the homes of Buddhists living in the area.
The attacks came as a shock to the Buddhist community and raised concerns at home and abroad about the safety of minorities, which prompted a visit by Hasina to the area on October 8 last year, when she pledged to rebuild the houses and the temples.
The Bangladesh Army was charged with rebuilding the temples and viharas under a project titled ‘Rebuilding and Renovation of damaged Buddhist viharas and temples’, at the cost of Tk200m.
They rebuilt and renovated 19 buildings, which incorporated traditional designs by architects from the Buddhist community.
Hasina said she hoped through the renovation of the buildings, the wounds inflicted by the attacks would be healed. She said Bangladesh has always been recognised as a nation with moderate religious values and the constitution guarantees equal rights for all religions.
She mentioned that her government has given equal importance to the development of all religions, including mosques, temples, churches and pagodas.
Hasina said her government has already completed renovation several viharas in Dhaka and Chittagong, and land to build a vihara in Dhaka’s Uttara has also been allocated.
