Zakir Hossain From Dhaka
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday extended advance Durga Puja greetings, stressing that no government has the right to deny citizens their constitutional rights.
“We— the entire nation— are a broader family. The government is committed to ensuring equal rights and dignity for all citizens,” he said while visiting Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka on Tuesday to review preparations for the country’s biggest Hindu festival.
Yunus, who is scheduled to reach New York on September 22 to attend the UN General Assembly, said the temple visit gave him peace of mind before departure. “Now I can head towards UNGA with peace in mind. We are citizens of this country, and there will be no discrimination against anyone,” he said.
Urging people to remain conscious of their rights, he added: “Keep reminding yourself that you are a citizen of this country, and you must be given the rights and dignity guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Yunus said he did not want to miss the joy of Puja despite being abroad during the celebrations. “I didn’t want to be deprived of this joy, so I came here today,” he remarked. On Monday, he had urged vigilance to prevent “any conspiracy” around the festival.
Community leaders welcomed his visit. Metropolitan Puja Committee president Jayanta Kumar Deb hailed the government’s allocation of land for a permanent Durga temple, calling it “historic,” and thanked Yunus for granting two days’ holiday for Puja. Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council chief Basudev Dhar praised his vision of festivals free from “strict security cordons.” SN Tarun Dey of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Kalyan Front lauded his role in promoting communal harmony.
Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain noted ministry support for temples, churches and pagodas as well as welfare for vulnerable groups, while Mass Education Adviser Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar joined the visit.
Durga Puja will be celebrated this year at 33,576 mandaps nationwide, including 255 in Dhaka. The festivities begin on September 27 and conclude with Bijaya Dashami on October 2.