Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said mutual respect, harmony and human love are the true lessons of religious practice. He made the remarks on Friday as chief guest at a discussion meeting for the 2026 Sri Sri Jagannathdev Ulto Rathjatra festival at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital. He said genuine believers never disrespect the faith of others and that people of all religions seek closeness to the Almighty in their own ways.

The minister said religious figures from different faiths have worshipped the Almighty through different paths. Whether called Allah, God or Bhagwan, genuinely devout people respect the love of God held by followers of other religions, he said. He described Rathjatra and Ulto Rathjatra as symbols of a distinctive bond between people and divine love, alongside prayers and worship in Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and other faiths.

Swapan urged people to remain alert to attempts by individuals and groups to use religious sentiment for political interests and create division. He said the government would not accept divisions based on religion, race, language, or hill and plains. Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam inaugurated the festival and attended the meeting chaired by Nitai Swami Maharaj, head of Swamibagh Ashram and general secretary of ISKCON Bangladesh.