Prime Minister’s Adviser and PMO spokesperson Mahdi Amin has said the government wants to build a Bangladesh where citizens are identified as Bangladeshis rather than divided into majority and minority communities.
“Every citizen would enjoy equal rights, equal security, equal freedom and equal dignity from the state, society and government,” he said, adding that ensuring these rights and respect for every citizen was a specific government plan.
Amin made the remarks while inaugurating the Mahalaya celebration organised by Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation at Banani Ground in the capital at dawn.
He called on people of all religions and ethnicities to work together to establish truth and justice and build a modern, harmonious Bangladesh by overcoming challenges.
The government wants to ensure that no one faces discrimination because of their religious identity and that everyone can live freely with dignity and contribute equally to the country’s development, he said.
Amin said allocations for every Durga Puja mandap had been increased this year under the Prime Minister’s directive after a long interval. The number of government holidays for the festival had also been extended in response to a longstanding demand from the community, he added.
He said Mahalaya symbolised hope and the victory of good over evil, with its central message being the triumph of light over darkness.
Describing Durga Puja as a reflection of Bangladesh’s traditions, culture and communal harmony, Amin said the people were the country’s greatest strength and that national progress depended on their shared aspirations and unity.
He said the government considered the interests of the people, national sovereignty and public welfare its foremost priorities.
“That is why we say, ‘Bangladesh First’,” he added.
The Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bijon Kanti Sarkar, Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pawan Kumar Badhe, Vice-Chairman of the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Tapan Kanti Majumder, Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation President Alok Saha and General Secretary Binoy Gopal Roy, among others, attended the programme.
Amin was welcomed with flowers and presented with a traditional ceremonial shawl upon arriving at the venue at 6am. A special cultural programme followed the inauguration.
The celebration of Maha Mahalaya marked the beginning of the countdown to Sharadiya Durga Puja.
