Not religion, ensuring everyone's rights as citizens is the responsibility: Prime Minister

He said this while exchanging views with leaders of the Sanatan community of Dhaka-17 constituency at the Prime Minister's Office of the Cabinet Division at the Secretariat on Monday (12 October). On the occasion of the autumnal Durga Puja, representatives of eight temples in the constituency met the Prime Minister and invited him to the puja.

The Prime Minister said people of all religions took part in the movement to establish the country's independence and democracy. Mentioning the participation of people irrespective of religion and caste in the Liberation War, the 1990 mass uprising, and the 2024 movement, he said religious identity was not considered in national crises, so there is no scope to give religion priority in ensuring citizens' rights either.

He further said that in past movements and struggles, leaders and activists of various religions, including Muslims and followers of Sanatan dharma, were subjected to persecution. In these cases, there was no difference based on religious identity. The Prime Minister described it as his responsibility to provide every citizen with security within his capacity and ensure their just rights.

At the exchange meeting, leaders of the Sanatan community said that after the national parliamentary election, they have been living peacefully and are not facing any major problems. They thanked the government for increasing the Durga Puja holiday and grant, and said cooperation would continue in the future as well.

BNP Executive Committee member Ramesh Datta, president of Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation Alok Saha, president of Baridhara DOHS Puja Committee Jibon Kanai Das, representatives of various temples in Dhaka-17 constituency, and Prime Minister's representative Abdur Rahman Sani were present at the meeting.