Artivism for Peace, an exhibition that brought together the works of young artists from across Bangladesh, concluded successfully on Saturday at TSC, University of Dhaka. The exhibition followed a workshop with 30 young artists promoting a harmonious Bangladesh, with a mural as a key highlight that attracted significant attention. A total of 35 art pieces, including submissions from workshop participants and external artists, were showcased. These artworks embodied themes of peace, tolerance, and harmony, aiming to inspire positive change. Visitors were moved by the powerful messages in the art and resonated with the descriptions, sparking discussions on fostering a more inclusive and tolerant Bangladesh while recalling the July-August Uprising. The exhibition was organized by the Kashful Foundation, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Partnerships for a More Tolerant, Inclusive Bangladesh (PTIB) initiative, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) under the ICT Division, Bangladesh. PTIB, funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka, aims to foster a more inclusive and tolerant society in Bangladesh. Hasan A Shafie, Professon and Dr Rasheda Rawnak Khan, Associate Professon Department of Anthropology, University of Dhaka, Md Abdul Quayyum, Head of Communications, UNDP Bangladesh, and Faisal Bin Majid, Project Manager of PTIB, UNDP were present at the event along with others.  Hasan A Shafie said, "We welcome such initiatives by the youth." Dr Rasheda Rawnak Khan further mentioned, "We want programs like this to spread across Bangladesh. These kinds of programs play a significant role in inspiring the youth." Md Abdul Quayyum said, "It’s important to promote peace and tolerance to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence it should be expanded across the country." Finally, Faisal Bin Majid said, "We are always here to support such creative endeavours by the youth."

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen Thursday said he requested the Indian government to do whatever necessary to help Bangladesh maintain stability and harmony. "When I went to New Delhi, I told the Indian government that Sheikh Hasina must be sustained. Bangladesh will continue to march towards development and will truly become a country free of communalism under her leadership," he said. The foreign minister was speaking as the chief guest at a Janmashtami, one of the biggest festivals in the Hindu calendar, programme in Chattogram. Read:Nation observing Bangabandhu’s anniversary of martyrdom in a somber mood "If someone takes the country to the path of instability to shake Sheikh Hasina's government, then it is a danger for everyone. We want stability," Momen said. The foreign minister said they told the Indian government that the two countries will work in such a way that neither side promotes instigative behaviors to maintain law and order and stability. “If we can do that, it’s good for both Bangladesh and India,” Momen said, adding that India does not need to face extra expenditure in its border areas as Sheikh Hasina is there in power.   He said thousands of people from Bangladesh visit India every year and many Indians work in Bangladesh as there is development in Bangladesh. “This has been possible as the two countries are going through a Golden Chapter.” For that reason, Momen said he requested the Indian government to continue supporting Sheikh Hasina as peace and stability brings benefits for the two countries.  He said there are some wicked people and fundamentalists who create noise though the government remains silent.

BNP on Friday urged the people of the country to maintain communal harmony instead of responding to any kind of ‘provocation’ from the government. "Our party has asked the people of all communities to maintain unity and communal harmony upholding our long-lasting tradition under any provocation. We’ll maintain our strong ties, said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Speaking at a human-chain programme, he also said their party will not react to any provocation from the government. READ: Govt plot behind communal incidents, alleges BNP “Communal harmony is a long history and tradition of the Bengali nation. There have been repeated attempts to destroy that tradition,” the BNP leader said. He alleged that the incident of the desecration of the holy Quran in Cumilla is a planned one. “It was staged as part of a government’s plan.” Bangladesh Jatiya Dal, one of the components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding that the next national election be held under a non-party neutral government. The local administration locked into a clash with a group of people in Cumilla over an allegation of the desecration of the holy Quran at a puja mandap. Some rowdy people attacked puja mandaps in different areas of the country following the incident. On Thursday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir blamed government agencies for the communal incidents in Cumilla and elsewhere in the country, saying these are part of a plot to mislead people. Later, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader alleged that evil communal forces are trying to unleash  violence in the country with the patronage of BNP ahead of the next general election. READ: ‘AL men’ behind e-commerce scams: BNP Reacting to Quader’s remark, Rizvi said Awami League has left no misdeed undone only to hang onto power. “The incident in Cumilla was also carried out by ruling party men out of fear of losing power. The motive behind this incident is to mislead people and divert their attention to a different direction.” Rizvi opposed the Jatiya Press Club’s decision of banning all political programmes on its premises, saying it will hinder the minimum space for raising voice against ‘misdeeds and misrule’ of the government.

Various religions have been coexisting in harmony in China, a senior Chinese diplomat said here Monday during the 43rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.