General Waqar-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh, visited the International Buddhist Monastery in Merul Badda, Dhaka, on Saturday as part of the Shuvo Kathin Chivar Daan and the National Buddhist Religious Conference-2024, organized by the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation.

During the visit, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman extended his heartfelt congratulations to all participants on the occasion of the Shuvo Kathin Chivar Daan and expressed gratitude to those who had come from various parts of the country, including the hill districts.

In his address, the Army Chief emphasized that the Bangladesh Army is always prepared to take necessary actions to ensure that each religious community can celebrate its festivals peacefully, while maintaining communal harmony. He called for cooperation and peaceful coexistence, urging everyone to contribute to building a nation based on harmony and mutual support. Additionally, he thanked the foreign diplomats present at the event for their significant role in Bangladesh’s progress.

General Waqar-Uz-Zaman also urged the people living in the hill districts to work together for the development of peace and harmony in the region. He highlighted the importance of preserving local languages, cultures, and diversity while fostering the growth of the tourism industry in the scenic hill areas. He expressed optimism that the establishment of more schools, colleges, and universities in the hill districts would help local students develop their skills and spread them both domestically and internationally.

In closing, he thanked the Buddhist Federation for their cooperation with the Army and law enforcement agencies in ensuring the peaceful celebration of Buddhist events across the country. He also expressed his gratitude to the Federation for their efforts in ensuring security during the events.

As part of the occasion, the Chief of General Staff of the Bangladesh Army presented a check for one crore taka to the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation as a donation on behalf of the Army.

It is worth noting that this year, the Shuvo Kathin Chivar Daan was celebrated with religious solemnity across 266 Buddhist monasteries, including those in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and throughout the country.