PM greets Hindus on Durga Puja

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday extended greetings to the Hindu community in Bangladesh and across the world on the occasion of Sharadiya Durga Puja, one of the major religious festivals of the Hindu community.

In a message, he said that, according to Hindu beliefs, Goddess Durga comes to earth from heaven for the welfare of the world, ensuring the well-being of her devotees, destroying evil forces and nurturing creation.

“The destruction of evil forces and the worship of truth and beauty have given a unique significance to Sharadiya Durga Puja,” he said.

The Prime Minister said people of different faiths, groups and communities in the country would observe their respective religious festivals with great enthusiasm.

He said the celebration of religious festivals reflected the beauty of Bangladesh's age-old religious and social values and cultural traditions.

He said friendship, harmony, goodwill and fraternity among people of different religions, groups and communities as Bangladeshis were manifested through religious, cultural and social activities.

Tarique Rahman said, “Equality, human dignity and social justice are fundamental to all religions, while the welfare of humanity is one of their principal teachings.”

“Therefore, alongside practising their respective religious beliefs and cultures, it is essential for everyone to maintain an atmosphere of peace in society through mutual respect, honour and compassion among people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will travel to Chattogram on Tuesday and visit the Durga Puja pavilion at JM Sen Hall to mark the biggest festival for the Bangladeshi Hindu community.

On the Mahanavami (ninth day) of Durga Puja, he will inspect the pavilion organised by the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (Bangladesh Puja Organising Committee) in the Rahmatganj area of the Chattogram Metropolitan Municipality that afternoon.

Advocate Nikhil Kumar Nath, general secretary of the Chattogram Metropolitan unit of the committee, said: “On Tuesday afternoon, the prime minister will visit our puja pavilion at the JM Sen Hall premises. He will participate in a discussion. In all, he may be here for about an hour.