Commerce Minister urges preservation of religious harmony as a national tradition

Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir today stressed the need to preserve Bangladesh's long-standing tradition of religious harmony, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among people of all faiths.

"Religious harmony is a unique asset of Bangladesh. Even many large democratic countries around the world cannot demonstrate the kind of

religious harmony that Bangladesh enjoys," he said.

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a view exchange meeting and grant distribution programme organised on the occasion of the upcoming

Sharadiya Durga Puja at the conference room of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) this morning.

At the programme, he handed over grants of Taka 40,000 each to representatives of 85 Durga Puja mandaps in the city, distributing a total of

Taka 34 lakh.

Muktadir said the government remained committed to ensuring that people of all religions could celebrate their religious festivals peacefully and

without hindrance. He also said the government would work together with all concerned to develop religious institutions.

The minister said he had visited mosques, temples and other religious institutions both before and after being elected as a lawmaker from Sylhet.

He added that the SCC administrator was working to address infrastructure-related problems at these institutions, said a ministry press release.

He thanked the city corporation authorities for providing financial assistance to the Durga Puja mandaps.

Highlighting the city's development initiatives, Muktadir said development work had been completed on around 550 kilometres of roads out of

approximately 800 kilometres across the city corporation's 42 wards.

He said tenders had also been invited for the development of the remaining roads, while initiatives had been taken to begin improvement work on roads

under the Roads and Highways Department.

The minister said the authorities had taken initiatives to construct a new bridge over the Surma River beside the historic Keane Bridge. He also said

steps were underway to arrange housing for members of the Harijan community.

To address the shortage of safe drinking water in the city, the government had undertaken a major project to treat water from the Chengerkhal and supply

it to residents, he added.

Speaking at the programme, SCC Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury said the city corporation, district administration and police administration were

working sincerely to ensure the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja.

He urged representatives of Puja mandaps and temple committees to contact the city corporation whenever they needed assistance.

SCC Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rezai Rafin Sarker delivered the welcome address.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sarwar Murshed Shamim BPM, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Sylhet Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury, Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution System Limited Director Badruzzaman Selim, Ramakrishna Mission and Ashram Principal Swami Chandranathananda Maharaj, Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Trustee Sudip Ranjan Sen Bappu and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Central Committee Vice-President Mrityunjoy Dhar Bhola also spoke at the programme.