President M Abdul Hamid on Sunday urged followers of all religions faiths to remain alert against attempts by vested quarters or militants to create social disorders using religion as he hosted a reception for Hindu community leaders at Bangabhaban here.
“Religion leads people to the path of truth and rightness, inspires people for human welfare . . . No religion supports militancy, fundamentalism or terrorism,” he told the function to mark Hindu festival of Janmashtami to celebrate the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
The President asked all to build a strong social resistance “if anyone tries to create anarchy” and maintain communal harmony at any cost.
“Communal harmony is our great tradition . . . Strengthen the existing harmony and friendship more in the society to build a happy and a prosperous Bangladesh for the present and future generation,” the President said.
He said the participation of all irrespective of religion, caste and creed accelerated victory in all national struggles and movements including the country’s great Liberation War.
He simultaneously urged all to continue collective endeavour to keep up the trend of national development and progress being imbued with the spirit of non-communal to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangladesh, the President said, celebrates all religious festivals with fervor and gaiety, but each festival becomes universal with spontaneous participation of all.
He said since long the tradition of unison among Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians was based on collective and mutual empathy.
Greeting the people of Hindu community on the occasion, he said the prime ideal of Sri Krishna was to build the ties of real love and harmony among the people removing all sorts of injustice, repression, torture and conflict from society.
The President mentioned that Sri Krishna emerged as a social reformer to thwart evil forces and protect religion and good people in the society.
Religious Affairs Minister Principal Motiur Rahman and secretaries concerned accompanied the President during the reception.
Besides, Hindu religious personalities, leaders of Hindu Religion Welfare Trust, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Dhaka Mahanagar Sarbajonin Puja Committee, Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad and people from various professions of the community joined the reception. They also presented bouquets to the President.
Several lawmakers, judges, ambassadors and high commissioner of India to Bangladesh, senior journalists of the Hindu community, among others, also joined the reception.
The invited guests were entertained with traditional food items at the Darbar Hall. The President went round different corners there and exchanged greetings with them.
