BNP senior leaders exchanged greetings with the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas Day on Thursday, praying for turning Bangladesh into a welfare state removing darkness.

They also cut a cake celebrating Christmas Day at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Speaking at the programme, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "On this birthday of Jesus Christ, we should pray for unity to bring light removing the darkness so that we can build a welfare state."

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On behalf of BNP and its chairperson Khaleda Zia, he greeted the Christian community on the occasion of their biggest religious festival.

Fakhrul said the country was liberated with a goal to create communal harmony with all, including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. “Our that goal is not achieved as we see now humanity, human rights, and voting rights are being violated, and the freedom of speech is being snatched, even after 50 years of the country’s independence.”

He alleged that even people’s right to practise their own religions is also now being hampered.

The BNP leader said the number of communal incidents that have taken place since the current Awami League government came to power is unprecedented.

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He said the peace-loving Christian community has also been subjected to attacks and injustice the same way. “Their homes and worship places have been destroyed, and their priests have been killed.”

Stating that there is no democracy while people’s rights are snatched in the country, Fakhrul said forging national unity is now imperative.

Presided over by Albert P Costa, BNP leaders Subrata Rozario, John Gomez, Prof Sukomal Barua and Goutam Chakraborty, among others, spoke at the progarmme.

BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were present.

The Christian community is set to celebrate Christmas Day in the country, as elsewhere across the world, on Saturday.