BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday night said their party is determined to build a non-communal Bangladesh by ensuring the rights of all people regardless of their faith.

“My party (BNP) believes in the spirit of non-communism. We’ll build a non-communal Bangladesh by protecting the rights of people of all castes and religions. We’ll build the people's Bangladesh that protects the rights of all. This should be the expectation of all of us on this occasion,” he said.

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while exchanging greetings with the members of the Hindu community at the Dhakeswari National Temple after visiting the puja mandap there.

He urged the Hindu devotees to pray for turning Bangladesh into a beautiful and livable country for future generations and young people.

“I express my solidarity with you on this day of celebration. In my childhood, I also performed plays in the puja mandaps. I enjoyed the joy of the puja festival with my friends in my childhood. It is the spirit that I cherished from my childhood and youth, and I still hold the same spirit."

The BNP leader said Goddess Durga appeared on earth to establish the truth by defeating falsehood, and beauty against ugliness, and to fight against injustice and unfairness.

“The same way, we have to establish justice by fighting against injustice, ugliness and falsehood. That is our prayers today…I pray once again that we’ll build a beautiful, healthy and democratic Bangladesh and we’ll move forward with that goal,” Fakhrul said.

The leaders of the Mahanagara Puja Celebration Committee welcomed the BNP secretary general as he arrived at the Dhakeswari puja mandap.

On behalf of BNP, Fakhrul exchanged greetings with the Hindu devotees at the temple.

Later, he also visited the Banani puja mandap and talked to the devotees.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, began on Saturday with Maha Sashthi puja at temples across the country. A mood of festivity persists among the devotees irrespective of age marking the festival as adequate security measures have been taken at the puja pandals across the country.

The five-day festival started with 'Bodhon' of the Goddess while the festival will come to an end with the immersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga in nearby rivers and water bodies across the country on October 5.