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PM-JANMASHTHAMI 2 DHAKA
Sheikh Hasina pointed that terrorism, militancy, drug abuse and smuggling of arms were regular phenomena in the country during the BNP-Jamaat misrule. Not only the August 21 grenade attack, numerous such incidents happened after the 2001 elections, she said.
She said the Awami League leaders and workers fell victims of the BNP-Jamaat killing and torture on one side, while the minority communities, especially the Hindu community, became victims on the other.
The Awami League president said attacks were also made on other communities like Muslims, Christians and the Buddhists as well as the mosques, temples, churches and pagodas, she said, adding such an anarchic situation continued throughout Bangladesh.
The prime minister said the Awami League government after assuming office in 2009 made efforts so that peace exists in the country and the venom of terrorism, militancy and communalism cannot spread.
“We want to build Bangladesh in the non-communal spirit and the people of all faiths perform their religious rites freely and peacefully,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said all the citizens of the country will live here with equal rights. “You, the people of Hindu community, will live here with your own rights …this soil is yours also,” she said.
She said that in every sphere of life, the people of the country will enjoy their equal rights. “In socioeconomic sector, in education, in healthcare and in performing respective religious rituals all have the equal rights,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that as the government it is her responsibility to ensure equal rights for all people of the country.
She mentioned that it is the duty of the government to create an environment where people from all religions will perform their religious customs freely and with honour. “We are performing our duty and we will do whatever is necessary,” she said.
Referring to her government’s philosophy of “the religion is for individuals and festival is for all”, she said the people of all religious faiths fought shoulder to shoulder in 1971 and embraced martyrdom to liberate the country.
The prime minister said that during the great Liberation War the people of all faiths under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman joined the war and gave their blood for the independence of the country.
“People brought independence in exchange for their blood, so this country is for the people of all religions,” she said.
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