Condemning the people who capitalize on religion to serve their interests, Prime Minister's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said the religion card, as history suggests, cannot be played on Bengalis for long. Wishing everyone Shuvo Noboborsho (Happy New Year) from his verified Facebook account on Thursday, he urged the countrymen to uphold the non-communal spirit and peaceful coexistence of all castes and creeds. "The majority of our population are practicing Muslims, but not fundamentalists. To protect the Bengali language and culture, our ancestors once heavily resisted the people who capitalized on religion to serve their interests," he wrote. Also read: Joy blasts BNP-Jamaat rule for corruption Consequently, Joy said, Awami League secured 223 out of 237 Muslim seats in the 1954-Jukto Front election while religion peddlers got only nine seats. "Traditionally, the people of Bangla are simple and religious but neither outwardly showy of religiousness nor peddlers of religion," Sajeeb added.