Sheikh Hasina urges Hindu community in Bangladesh not to consider themselves as minorities

DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that the Hindu community in Bangladesh should not consider themselves as members of the minority community, reported Dhaka Tribune. She further urged them to live their life and enjoy equal rights in Bangladesh.

“Why would you call yourselves a minority? ..... There is nothing like minority and majority here. Rather, all citizens will live here enjoying equal rights. Don’t undermine yourselves as a minority. Why are you doing so when you are the people of this country?” she said. Sheikh Hasina highlighted this concern while exchanging greetings with the Hindu community at her official residence Ganabhaban’s premises on the occasion of Janmashtami, Dhaka Tribune reported on Thursday. Commenting on the Hindu community, she said that those who were born on this soil, are the children of this soil and they have rights as the citizens of this soil. “So, you will live accordingly", she said.

She further said that her government always tries to maintain religious and communal harmony in Bangladesh and keeps social solidarity where one won’t undermine another and all the people will lead life enjoying equal rights, reported Dhaka Tribune.

“We know there are some vested people everywhere, who want to create some problems. All will have to pay attention so that none can create the problems,” she said.

Bangladesh PM noted that some people are here in the country who malign Bangladesh going abroad. “I would like to request all to be alert in this regard,” she added.

Furthermore, Bangladesh Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee, among others also spoke on the occasion.