TDS Desk:

Bangladesh is a large family, and the government’s responsibility is to protect every citizen’s rights, said Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus Monday (August 26).

The chief adviser made the comments while exchanging greetings with the leaders of Bangladesh’s Hindu community on the occasion of Janmastomi, the auspicious birth celebration of Lord Sri Krishna.

Dr Yunus said he wants to build a Bangladesh where everyone can practice their faith without any fear and where no temple needs to be guarded.

“Our responsibility is to establish the rights of every citizen. Our job is to ensure justice for every citizen,” he told a group of Hindu leaders at the State Guest House Jamuna.

“There can’t be any divisions among people in our country. We are equal citizens. The interim government is determined to protect the rights of every citizen of the country,” Dr Yunus said.

Hindu leaders greeted the chief adviser on the auspicious occasion, saying they have sought the blessings of the Lord Sri Krishna for the harmony and prosperity of the nation and the interim government.

Hindu leaders said they suspended Janmastomi celebrations in the flood-stricken parts of the country. They said they had sent food and relief to the region.

Hindu leaders praised the chief adviser’s recent comments at the Dhakeswari Mandir, a sacred temple in Old Dhaka, saying it would help build a non-communal society in the country and ensure religious harmony.

They raised the issue of Hindu property grabbing, including the land of Hindu temples.

Top Hindu leaders include Kajal Debnath and Monindra Kumar Nath of Hindu Buddha Christian Oikya Parishad, Charu Charan Brahmachari of ISKCON, Basudeb  Dhar and  Santosh Sharma of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad, and Priti Chakraborty of Universal Medical College and Hospital.