Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Friday said the government has succeeded in ensuring freedom of religion for people of all faiths during its first six months in office, and called on his fellow citizens to look beyond cliched concepts such as 'communal harmony', and unite under one single identity as Bangladeshis.  

“We have ensured religious practices and freedom for all religions over the past six months since coming to office. This is visible,” he said.

Home Minister wants to move beyond 'communal harmony' as govt ensures freedom of religion

He said everyone should live in Bangladesh as equal citizens regardless of their religious identity.

The Home Minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the historic central Janmashtami procession organised by Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, at the premises of Shri Shri Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital.

He said those who previously believed that the votes of the country’s Sanatan faith followers constituted a vote bank for a particular political party, indicating the Awami League without naming them, had now been proven wrong.

“You have shattered that misconception, that myth. Because we all say: religion belongs to individuals, the state belongs to everyone, and everyone has the right to security,” Salahuddin said.

He said the Prime Minister held a national state ceremony on Thursday marking Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna.

“We believe you have judged the matter. In the last election, you voted against the evil forces. You will continue to play a role in strengthening democracy and maintaining secularism in the future as well,” he said.

“The Constitution of Bangladesh entrusts the state with the responsibility of ensuring the religious practices and religious freedom of people of all faiths. It says the state will ensure this. It also says there can be no discrimination on the basis of religion,” he said.

He said the Constitution also guarantees the freedom of followers of all religions to establish places of worship and the freedom of those responsible for such places.

“We do not want to simply keep these provisions in the books or in the Constitution. In reality, we will ensure this harmony and this freedom, and we have made that declaration. So far, we have provided that assurance. The verdict is yours; you are the judges,” the Home Minister said.

He said everyone should live in Bangladesh as equal citizens regardless of their religious identity.

“We want to live here as citizens. We may have religious identities, but religious identity is not the main issue here. We want to live here with our identity as citizens,” he said.

“All citizens of Bangladesh, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and people belonging to ethnic communities, whoever they may be, will freely maintain and observe their respective religious practices, religious ceremonies and religious freedom. But as a nationality, we will all remain citizens of Bangladesh, and there will be harmony among us. This will be our one identity,” he said.

Referring to BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's ethos, Salahuddin said, “Our leader Tarique Rahman has said, ‘Bangladesh First.’ 

“If Bangladesh comes first, then we are Bangladeshis first. After that come our religious, social and ethnic identities. Bangladeshis first, Bangladesh for everyone, Bangladesh first, this is our policy,” he said.

“Many expect different kinds of statements from me, but I expect one thing, I hope none of you will identify yourselves as minorities as free citizens of Bangladesh,” he said.

“We hope you will all identify yourselves not on the basis of religion but on the basis of citizenship. Everyone will say that they are citizens of Bangladesh enjoying equal rights,” he said, asking the participants whether such an expectation could be made.

The Home Minister also suggested replacing the term “communal harmony” with “religious and social harmony”.

“We use the term ‘communal harmony’ grammatically because the term has come down in literature with the idea that communal harmony must be maintained. It would be better if we said, ‘We will maintain social and religious harmony’, that would be more appropriate,” he said.

“There is no need to mention the term ‘communal harmony’ anymore. We will maintain religious harmony, coexistence, and social peace and harmony,” he said.

The colourful rally was inaugurated by the Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam.

The programme was chaired by Shri Gopal Chandra Debnath, president of the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Udjapan Committee.