Law minister urges equal rights beyond religious differences
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman today said there is no need to identify or divide people on the basis of religion, stressing that every citizen of Bangladesh must be treated with equal dignity and equal rights.
"Just as a person's blood does not change colour because of their religion, citizens' rights cannot vary on religious grounds either. If we can value and respect everyone as human beings, only then will it be possible to eliminate communal divisions and discrimination," he said.
The law minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at the biennial conference of the Mohanogor Sarbojanin Puja Committee held at the premises of the Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital this noon.
He said Bangladesh should be built as a country where every citizen naturally feels safe and can celebrate religious festivals without fear or disruption.
"The minister said everyone must refrain from using religion for politics or electoral gains. Instead, politics should be guided by a commitment to public welfare, development, good governance and human values. The present government's goal is to create an environment in which every citizen can practise his or her religion freely and without hindrance," he added.
Referring to the encroachment on the land of the Dhakeshwari National Temple, the law minister said the government would take the necessary steps to recover the occupied property.
He said no land grabber, criminal or mafia syndicate would be allowed to retain possession of the temple's property permanently and assured the authorities of the government's full cooperation in this regard.
Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Ethnic Minority Affairs Bijon Kanti Sarkar, Dhaka-7 lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Hamid, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar, its General Secretary Santosh Sharma, Mohanogor Sarbojanin Puja Committee President Jayanta Kumar Dev, its General Secretary Dr Tapas Chandra Pal, and leaders of the Dhakeshwari National Temple Management Committee addressed the function, among others.
