Buddha Purnima, the most sacred and largest religious festival of the Buddhists, was celebrated on Sunday across the country with traditional enthusiasm and due religious fervour.
The United Nations had designated Buddha Purnima as the International Vesak Day in 2000.
It commemorates three key events which took place in the life of Buddha on the same day 鈥� 鈥榯he birth of Siddharta Gautama, his attainment of supreme enlightenment and his entry into Nirvana 鈥� the sublime cessation of all longing鈥�. This earth-shattering day is exceptionally significant to Buddhists around the world.
On the occasion of Buddha Purnima, chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, in a message, greeted the people of the Buddhist community as well as the country people.
In a message on the eve of the festival, he said that Bangladesh was a country of communal harmony, as people of all faiths, irrespective of race, religion and caste, had been living together in the country for thousands of years.
鈥楾his country is a safe abode for all people, regardless of religion, creed and caste,鈥� Yunus added.
The great Gautam Buddha enlightened mankind by rising above all greed and longing. Gautam Buddha preached the message of non-violence to establish peace and welfare among people, he observed.
Yunus said that his interim government was relentlessly working to ensure the development and equal rights of all people regardless of race, religion, caste and group.
鈥楩ollowing the ideals of Buddha, one can play a significant role in building a new Bangladesh free from violence, hatred and conflict,鈥� he observed.
He hoped that the Buddhist community of the country would play an effective role in transforming Bangladesh into a non-discriminatory country by cherishing the doctrines and ideals of Gautam Buddha.
The day is a public holiday.
On the occasion, the national and regional dailies published special articles, while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private TV channels broadcasted special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.
The celebrations usually started with the hoisting of the national and religious flags atop all monasteries across the country and the chanting of the verses from the sacred Tripitaka at dawn.
The Buddhist devotees offered various gift items, including fruits, flowers and candles, to statues of Lord Buddha throughout the day.
Discussion meetings, meditation, blood donation, offerings of pindadana among the monks, feeding the destitute and releasing of lighted balloons in the sky in the evening were the highlights of the programmes.
As part of the day鈥檚 programme, Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha brought out a colourful 鈥榩eace procession鈥� with the participation of a large number of devotees from Sabujbagh Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery, which paraded different city roads and thoroughfares in the morning.
The Bangladesh Buddhist Federation organised a daylong programme, including a discussion, at the International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda in the capital.
Besides, Buddha Purnima was also celebrated in Buddhist-populated regions of Chattogram, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Cox鈥檚 Bazar and Sylhet.
