Online Desk:

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has affirmed that the state guarantees full freedom for every individual to practice their faith, stating that all people in Bangladesh share a unified identity as citizens regardless of religion or ethnicity.

“We want to live in this country as citizens of Bangladesh. Every citizen—whether Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or member of an ethnic minority—will freely practice their respective religion and celebrate their religious and cultural traditions,” he said. “However, our fundamental identity remains that we are all citizens of Bangladesh.”

The Home Minister made these remarks on Friday afternoon while addressing a rally organized on the occasion of Janmashtami, which commenced from the Palashi Intersection near Dhaka University.

Highlighting constitutional protections, he stated that the Constitution of Bangladesh mandates the state to safeguard freedom of religion and ensure equal rights for all believers.

“The Constitution explicitly forbids discrimination on the basis of religion,” the minister noted. “It guarantees the right to establish places of worship, as well as the freedom and autonomy of religious institutions and their leaders.”

He emphasized that these provisions must extend beyond written policies. “We do not wish to keep these rights confined to books or the Constitution. We are committed to ensuring true harmony and freedom on the ground, and we have declared that commitment,” he added.

Referring to past political dynamics, the Home Minister remarked that previous authoritarian forces viewed Hindu citizens merely as a dedicated vote bank, a false perception that the community has now dismantled.

“Communal harmony will define us. This is our sole identity,” he said. “Our leader has declared: Bangladesh comes first. If Bangladesh comes first, then we are Bangladeshis first—before our religious, cultural, or ethnic identities. Bangladesh belongs to everyone.”

Urging minority communities to reject divisive labels, the Home Minister called on citizens not to view or identify themselves as minorities in their own country.

“Identify yourselves based on your citizenship, not your religion. Stand proud as equal citizens enjoying equal rights in this nation,” he concluded.