RANGPUR, Jan 12, 2021 (BSS) – Religious leaders should play the most crucial role in reaching the real meaning of religions through proper interpretation to ensure communal harmony for establishing sustainable peace in the society.
The views came at a day-long inter-religion dialogue on ‘Religious Harmony and Awareness’ organised virtually by the Ministry of Religious Affairs with assistance of Rangpur divisional office of the Islamic Foundation in the city on Monday.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs under its Enhancing Religious Harmony and Awareness Project (ERHAP) arranged the virtual event participated by influential leaders of different religions and social leaders of Rangpur district.
Project Director (Deputy Secretary) of the EEHAP project Abdullah-Al Shahin delivered a welcome speech narrating the project activities aimed at strengthening inter-religion respect to establish communal harmony and peace in the society.
Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md A Hamid Zamadder virtually participated in the dialogue and addressed it as the chief guest.
Rangpur Divisional Director of the Islamic Foundation Agriculturalist Md. Nurul Islam and Deputy Commissioner Md. Asib Ahsan also addressed the event moderated by Director of Training Affairs of non-governmental organisation ‘Shomoshti’ Mir Shahidul Alam.
Religious leaders Shuvomitra Bhikkhu, Soma Bhattacherjee, Banamali Paul, Khatib Badiuzzaman, participating grassroots level religious leaders, public representatives and civil society members participated in the open and group discussions.
The speakers said the religious leaders of all faiths should preach the real meaning of their respective religions that always speak for peace, tolerance, forgiveness and brotherhood for the welfare of humanity.
They put special emphasis on forming area based ‘Communal Harmony Implementations Committees’ involving religious leaders of all faiths as well as local community leaders and civil society members to locally resolve any conflict over religious matters.
Project Director Abdullah-Al Shahin called upon local leaders of different religions to reach the real message of peace and tolerance and respect to other religions to common people for strengthening brotherhood to establish communal harmony in the society.
“None should pay heed to any type of rumors of vested quarters on religious issues and religious leaders can bring common people in confidence so that they would not trust in any rumor to avoid unwanted turbulence in the society,” he said.
The chief guest called for following the non-communal conscience of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to show respect to other faiths in the spirit of the War of Liberation to establish communal harmony and peace in the society.