Desk Report:
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that there is no need for any community or community living in Bangladesh to be known as a ‘minority’. Not on the basis of religion or any other division, but every person in this country will enjoy equal rights and security based on citizenship. The main and first identity of all of us should be ‘We are all Bangladeshis’.
The minister said these things as the chief guest at the inauguration of the ‘Historic Central Janmashtami Procession’ organized by the Metropolitan Universal Puja Committee and Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council on the occasion of ‘Central Janmashtami Festival 1433’ at the Dhakeshwari National Temple located at Palashi Mor in Dhaka on Friday (September 4, 2026).
In his speech, the minister expressed his determination to build a non-communal Bangladesh and said that our leader has clearly said – ‘Bangladesh first’. And if Bangladesh comes first, then we are all ‘Bangladeshis first’. Our religious, social or ethnic identity will come later. The government’s main policy in running the state is Bangladesh for all.
The Home Minister said that in the past six months since the current government took office, religious freedom and rituals of people of all religions in the country have been ensured. He further said that the people are the judges, you have already given the verdict and in the future, you will have a united role to keep democracy strong and against all kinds of evil forces and extremism.
Highlighting the importance of the constitution and religious rights, the minister said that according to the constitution of Bangladesh, the state is obliged to ensure the religious freedom of every citizen. According to the spirit of the constitution, no discrimination can be made on the basis of religion. He said that places of worship of all religions and those in charge of places of worship have been given full security and freedom. The government does not want to limit it only in the form of a book in the constitution, but is also determined to ensure this equality and harmony in reality.
Calling for a change in the use of language, the Home Minister further said, “We usually use the word ‘communal harmony’. But I think the word ‘communal’ is no longer necessary. From today, we have to say – we will maintain religious and social harmony, coexistence and peace. This positive practice will make the society more beautiful.”
Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator, freedom fighter Md. Abdus Salam, addressed the gathering and procession as the opening speaker under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Universal Puja Committee President Gopal Chandra Debnath. Bijan Kanti Sarkar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Minority Affairs, and Member of Parliament Hamidur Rahman spoke as the guests of honor.
Among others, the speakers were Tapan Chandra Majumdar, Vice Chairman of Hindu Religious Welfare Trust, Jayanta Kumar Kundu, Co-Organizing Secretary of the National Executive Committee of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Basudeb Dhar, President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Santosh Sharma, General Secretary. The program was moderated by Subhashish Kumar Biswas (Sadhan), General Secretary of the Metropolitan Public Puja Committee.
It is worth noting that the Janmashtami procession started from Palashi More (Dhakeshwari National Temple Melangon) and ended at Bahadur Park.
