Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said citizenship, rather than religious identity, should be the core foundation of the Bangladeshi state. He made the remarks on July 31 as chief guest at a discussion meeting and representatives’ conference on minority protection and security, organised by Sammilito Sanatan Parishad at the Diploma Engineers Institution auditorium in the capital. He said there was no scope for division in Bangladesh in the name of religion and that people of all faiths have equal rights and dignity.

The minister said Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians have lived in harmony in the region for centuries. Addressing the Sanatan community, he said he did not regard them as minorities, but as children and citizens of the country. He described the Liberation War as a struggle for freedom, dignity and economic emancipation for all people, and called for a democratic, non-communal and humane Bangladesh.

Alamgir urged people to remain united against efforts to create religious divisions and damage communal harmony. He said extremism and fundamentalism have no place in Bangladesh. He also said the government had taken steps to protect the lives, property and places of worship of followers of all religions, including by providing support and security during Durga Puja, Rath Yatra and other religious events. He encouraged the Sanatan community to present its concerns and demands in an organised manner.