Chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday said that Bangladesh was a large family where the responsibility of the government was to protect the rights of every citizen.
He made the comment while exchanging greetings with the leaders of Bangladesh鈥檚 Hindu community on the occasion of Janmastomi, the auspicious birth celebration of Lord Sri Krishna.
Janmashtami, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Hindu community, was celebrated countrywide, except flood-hit areas, on the day with pomp and gaiety and due religious fervour.
A reception programme,聽 addressed by the president Mohammed Shahabuddin, was organised at Bangabhaban in Dhaka, marking Janmashtami.
During the meeting, professor Yunus said that he wanted to build a Bangladesh where everyone could practice their religious faith without any fear and where no temple needed to be guarded.
鈥極ur responsibility is to establish the rights of every citizen. Our job is to ensure justice for every citizen,鈥� he told a group of Hindu leaders at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka.
鈥楾here can鈥檛 be any divisions among people in our country. We are equal citizens. The interim government is determined to protect the rights of every citizen of the country.鈥�
Hindu leaders greeted the chief adviser on the auspicious occasion, saying, 鈥榃e have sought blessings of the Lord Sri Krishna for the harmony and prosperity of the nation and the interim government,鈥� chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam told media after the meeting.
The Hindu leaders said that they suspended Janmastomi celebration in the flood-stricken parts of the country, while they had sent food and relief to the region.
The Hindu leaders praised the chief adviser鈥檚 recent comments at the Dhakeswari Temple in Old Dhaka, saying 鈥業t will help build a non-communal society in the country and ensure religious harmony in the society.鈥�
They raised the issue of Hindu property grabbing, including the land of Hindu temples.
Kajal Debnath and Monindra Kumar Nath of Hindu Buddha Christian Oikya Parishad, Charu Charan Brahmachari of ISKCON, Basudeb Dhar and Santosh Sharma of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad, and Priti Chakraborty of Universal Medical College and Hospital were present at the meeting.
In the Janmashtami festival, prayers were offered for the flood-affected people. Organisers also announced to send financial assistance to flood affected people as expanses of the festival have been reduced.
Prayers were also offered for peace and salvation of departed souls of martyrs of anti-discrimination student movement and welfare of the nation and the country.
Marking the festival, temples and religious organisations and institutions chalked out various programmes, including bringing out colourful processions, discussions, recitation from Srimad Bhagavad, Arati, Kirtan and cultural function across the country.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee took different programme centrally at Dhakeshwari national temple in the capital.
Rituals of the Janmashtami festival began with Geeta Joggo, seeking blessings of the country and the nation at 8:00am at Dhakeshwari temple.
A discussion was held at 3:00pm in the city鈥檚 Palashi intersection marking the festival. Law, justice and parliamentary affairs adviser professor Asif Nazrul joined it as chief guest.
Later, a colourful procession was brought from there. Information and broadcasting adviser Md Nahid Islam inaugurated the procession.
From the Palashi intersection, the procession marched through Jagannath Hall, central Shaheed Minar, Doyel Chattar, High Court, Banga Bazar, Nagar Bhaban, Golap Shah Mazar, Gulistan intersection, Nababpur Road, Roy Saheb Bazar intersection and ended at Bahadur Shah Park.
Devotees from different parts of the capital and different upazilas of the district joined the procession.
Different programmes were also arranged at Ramna Kali Mandir, Rajarbagh Baradeshwari Kalimata Mandir, Mirpur central temple and different temples in the city.
Colourful processions were also brought out from at upazila, district and divisional levels in the country.
National dailies published special articles while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, other private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting various aspects of life and philosophy of Sri Krishna.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness took a three-day programme from Sunday at Swamibagh Asram in the capital to mark the festival.
According to the Hindu mythology, Sri Krishna was born on the eighth day (ashtami tithi) of dark fortnight (Krishna Krishna Paksha) in the Bangla month of Bhadra and he takes birth in ages in the world to safeguard the good and pious people from the hands of malevolent people by establishing truth, justice and beauty in the society.
