Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday sought cooperation from people of all religions to build a happy, prosperous and better Bangladesh.

“Let us all work together, regardless of religion or background, from our respective positions to build a happy, prosperous and better Bangladesh. People of all religions and communities must come forward for the greater cause of the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister made the call while exchanging Easter greetings with leaders of the Protestant Church at the Cabinet Room of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon.

A 13-member delegation, led by Bishop Philip P Adhikari, President of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Bangladesh, met the Prime Minister around 11:45am and exchanged views with him on the occasion of Easter Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, Rumon said, the Prime Minister wished success and prosperity for the Christian community.

Tarique Rahman explained his government’s position, saying, “We view people of all religions equally and love everyone in the same way. We believe religion belongs to individuals, but the country belongs to all.”

Referring to the Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election held on February 12, he said people from all religious communities had voted for the BNP.

“There was a perception that people of other religions do not vote for the BNP. This election has proven that wrong,” the Prime Minister said, adding that people from all walks of life supported the party and ensured its victory.

Pointing to the condition of the country under the previous government, he said the country was in a fragile state when the BNP assumed office through the people’s mandate.

“The economic sector, the communication sector and several other areas were in a fragile condition. It felt like we had taken responsibility for a war-ravaged country,” Tarique Rahman said.

He also mentioned the government’s efforts to tackle the fuel shortage situation triggered by the Middle East conflict.

Earlier, Rev Ashim Baroi, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha, and retired Wing Commander Christopher M Adhikari also spoke on behalf of the Christian community.

They praised initiatives taken by the BNP government for public welfare, including the Family Card programme, waiving loans of Tk 10,000 with interest for farmers, and providing special honorariums for imams, muezzins, khadems, priests, temple caretakers, heads of Buddhist monasteries and Christian pastors.

The leaders also requested representation of Christians in the reserved seats for women in Parliament and demanded a government holiday on Easter Sunday, pledging cooperation with the government, led by Tarique Rahman.

Paying tribute to late Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the leaders said prayers were held for her in 7,000 churches and that prayers are now being offered daily for the current government.

The Prime Minister said the government will consider the demands raised by the Christian community.

Later, the delegation presented a crest to the Prime Minister on the occasion of Easter Sunday.