Stating that vested quarters sometimes make efforts to create divisions using religion, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said a strong unity of all Bangladeshis is a must to take the country forward and ensure its prosperity.

“Communal  violence is almost zero in Bangladesh. That’s  the reality. But there’re some vested quarters who sometimes try to create divisions using the religion,” he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks at the funeral of Suddhananda Mahathero, the principal of the Buddhist Monastery in Basabo.

He said those who live in the country all are Bangladeshis and they may have different religions and different thoughts. “This is the philosophy of Bangladesh advocated  by  Ziaur Rahman.”

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Fakhrul said their party does not do the politics of divisions as it believes that it is possible to unite the entire nation following the philosophy of Bangladesh.

“We always do the politics of unity. If Bangladesh is to prosper and take forward, then there must have a strong unity among all Bangladeshis,” he observed.

The BNP leader said people in Bangladesh have been living here like brothers for thousands of years. “Buddhism has created a big influence not only on Bangladesh but also on all parts of the world that it is the religion of peace and welfare and this religion is spread for the welfare of people."

He, however, regretted that there is an unrest now all over the world disrupting peace. “There’s a war now in the world. On the one hand, Rohingyas have fled Myanmar. On the other hand, the people of Kashmir are being persecuted. Ukrainian women and children are now fleeing the country due to the Russian aggression,” Fakhrul said.

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Earlier in the day, a BNP delegation, led by Fakhrul, came to the Buddhist Monastery in Basabo to pay homage to Suddhananda Mahathero and join his funeral.

On Behalf of BNP, Fakhrul first laid a wreath at the mortal remains of the late Buddhist monk, preserved in a casket on the second floor of the main building of the monastery. He stood there in solemn silence for a while as a mark of respect to Suddhananda Mahathero.

On March 3, 2020, Suddhananda Mahathero died while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in the capital Dhaka at the age of 87.

His funeral did not take place at that time due to the Covid pandemic