Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the Hindu community not to consider them as the members of minority community, rather they should lead their life, enjoying equal rights here in Bangladesh.

“Why would you call yourselves a minority? ..... There is nothing like minority and majority here. Rather, all citizens will live here enjoying equal rights. Don’t undermine yourselves  as a minority. Why are you doing so when you are the people of this country?” she said.

The prime minister said this while exchanging greetings with the Hindu community on her official residence Ganabhaban’s premises on the occasion of the holy Janmashtami.

Pointing at the Hindu community people, she said those who were born on this soil, they are the children of this soil and they have rights as the citizens of this soil. “So, you will live accordingly,” she said.

The PM said her government always tries to maintain religious and communal harmony in Bangladesh and keep a social solidarity where one won’t undermine another and all the people will lead life enjoying equal rights.

“We know there are some vested people everywhere, who want to create some problems. All will have to pay attention so that none can create the problems,” she said.

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Hasina said some people are here in the country, who malign Bangladesh going abroad. “I would like to request all to be alert in this regard,” she said.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee, among others, spoke on the occasion.

The premier said the non-communal spirit of Bangladesh was damaged after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. The Hindu community people were subjected to repressions time and again after military ruler Ziaur Rahman grabbed power illegally, she said.

“We’ve again been able to ensure equal rights and religious freedom for the people of all religions and castes by amending the Constitution,” she said.   

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 Hasina extended her thanks to the people of the country for voting her party to power and giving the scope to restore the non-communal spirit in Bangladesh.

“Since they have allowed us to serve the country by voting for us, we’ve again been able to restore the non-communal spirit and uphold the spirit of the Liberation War through the amendment to the constitution and we’ve got the scope to implement the ideals of the Liberation War,” she said.

Noting that secularism means the people from all religions will practice their respective religions freely, she said her government has restored the non-communal spirit and announced a slogan that religions are for individuals, but the festivals are for all.

“I want you all to practice your respective religions properly. There was disparity in case of (government) jobs, but this inequality is no more here,” she said, adding that the government evaluates competence and performance in case of promotion in the government services.

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