Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said that Buddhist monk Suddhananda Mahathero is a real example of religious and communal harmony.
"There are a lot of religious leaders who talk about peace and religious harmony but very few of them can create examples of religious and communal harmony. Suddhananda Mahathero was that kind of person who created the example," he said on Friday.
Also joint general secretary of the Awami League, Hasan was addressing the closing event of a three-day national funeral of Suddhananda Mahathero, who was the chief abbot of Kamalapur Dharmarajika Buddhist Mahabihar in Dhaka.
Born in 1933, Suddhananda Mahathero died on March 4, 2020, after suffering from respiratory obstruction, diabetes and other old-age complications. He received the prestigious Ekushey Padak in 2012 for his contribution to social service.
Suddhananda Mahathero distributing food among the poor people during the month of Ramadan at Kamalapur Dharmarajika Buddhist Mahabihar in Dhaka CourtesyHe said Suddhananda earned the love and respect of the people irrespective of religions and communities through his works and humanitarian activities.
"A lot of people including some secretaries of the government spent a crucial part of their academic life at the temple as it acted as a shelter for them," said Hasan.
"Suddhananda's demise is definitely an irreparable loss to the Buddhist community. At the same time, I think his death is also a big loss to all the communities, including Hindu, Muslim and Christian," he added.
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor and Awami League Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, among others, spoke on the occasion.
