State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Shamim Qaiser said his ministry would make the highest effort to ensure people of all religions and viewpoints can speak from their respective positions. He made the remarks during an exchange with journalists at the Religious Affairs Ministry’s conference room in the Secretariat on Sunday.

Qaiser described Bangladesh as a country of religious people and communal harmony, saying harmony would grow if followers of every faith followed and embraced their religious scriptures. He said the ministry works on coexistence among prominent Islamic scholars of different views and on religious values, while also engaging leaders and gurus of other faiths.

Responding to questions about a statement by an organisation over his appointment, Qaiser said no appointment is expected to be liked by everyone and that greater communication can resolve misunderstandings. He said he visited Jamia Madania Baridhara the previous day and spoke with senior scholars from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. He said they raised questions, which he believed he had addressed, and that they welcomed him.