Staff Correspondent:

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called upon members of the Hindu community not to perceive themselves as outsiders or inferior in any way, saying “we are even prepared to sacrifice our lives” to uphold the rights of minorities.

“Do not ever consider your selves insignificant or alien,” Fakhrul said on Wednesday afternoon while addressing the Hindu community as the chief guest at the unveiling ceremony of the Sri Sri Shanidev plaque, on the Kalibari temple premises in Thakurgaon.

“Anyone born in this country is a rightful citizen. You have every right to engage in or abstain from politics, to express your views freely and to discern between right and wrong. These are not privileges granted by others, but your inherent rights. We are even prepared to sacrifice our lives to uphold these rights.”

Quoting Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Fakhrul noted the importance of compassion, tolerance and openness.

“We must open our hearts, embrace humanity and carry forward the spirit of tolerance and acceptance to build a progressive nation,” he said.

Referring to the spread of misinformation on social media and YouTube, he warned against deliberate attempts to sow division within society and said: “I am not someone who falls into the trap of such divisive tactics. I do not follow social media.”

Encouraging members of the Hindu community to remain confident and strong, he said: “We are like two flowers blossoming on the same stem.”

Recalling personal memories and highlighting examples of past communal harmony, he urged all communities — Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian — to unite in building a peaceful and inclusive Bangladesh.