President, PM greet Hindu community on Durga Puja

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DHAKA, Sept 25, 2017 (BSS) – President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today felicitated the Hindu community in separate messages on the occasion of Durga Puja.

In his message, President Hamid said Durga Puja is the major religious festival of Bangalee Hindu community.

“The country’s Hindu community has been worshiping goddess Durga amid huge enthusiasm and festivity with different rituals since ancient time to establish peace in the society through the elimination of demons, evil forces and injustice from the society,” he said.

The President said Durga Puja is not only a religious festival, it is also a social one. He said marking Durgotshob, relatives, friends, family members, neighbours irrespective of caste, creed and religion get together and celebrate the festival, he added. “So, it is a universal festival,” he added.

President Hamid said Durga Puja is attached to traditional heritage and culture of Bangla. “Apart from festivity, Durga Puja plays an important role in creating unity and mutual sympathy among the countrymen,” he said.

Abdul Hamid said communal harmony is universal heritage of Bengali nation. “We will have to take forward the heritage with our overall advancement,” he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said that the Sharadiya Durgotsab is not only a festival of Hindus, rather it has turned into a universal festival.

“Elimination of evil forces and adoration of truth and beauty are the main characteristics of Durga Puja,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is a safe abode for people irrespective of caste and creed and religion.

She called for celebrating the festival imbued with the spirit that religions are of communities but festivals are universal.

“Our constitution ensures equal rights of the people of all faiths, irrespective of caste and creed,” she said.

The Prime Minister expressed her hope that the country will be a “Sonar Bangla” as envisaged by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through implementation of Visions 2021 and 2041 by retaining the thousand-year-old bond of communal harmony.