October 2022 Full PDF final

RELIGION
RELIGION
building of a Buddhist monastery
at the birthplace of Gautam Buddha
in Lumbini, Nepal. The building
of a Buddhist shrine in Lumbini
to serve pilgrims from around
the world has set a clear example
for all countries of the world that
Bangladesh is a role model in case
of preserving communal harmony.
The government also constructed
permanent offices for the Hindu,
Buddhist, and Christian Welfare
Trusts in Dhaka for the first time
in Bangladesh.
The government manages all
mosques, temples, churches,
pagodas and gurdwaras in Bangladesh
through the Ministry of
Religious Affairs. The government
believes in communal harmony
and has set a glaring example of
giving equal opportunity to the
people of all religions. In this regard,
PM Hasina said “we are concerned
enough to ensure that none
of any religion feel neglected, and
Bangladesh has set an example in
the world to this end.” She said the
government will ensure that the
people of Bangladesh can perform
their religious rituals with dignity
and sincerity and the communal
harmony that has existed here for
thousands of years must be wellpreserved
at all costs.
The Sheikh Hasina-led Awami
League’s slogan ‘Dhormo Jaar
Jaar, Utsob Shobar,’ (Religion as
per one’s own, but festivals common
to all) as a testimony of its
secular values has set a precedent
in the international community
about communal harmony.
temple recently, they found that the Muslim owner
has no issues with its use and he opened his door for
the Hindu people to worship.
Besides, every year during Ramadan, hundreds of
Muslim men, women, and children queue every day
in front of a Buddhist monastery in Dhaka to receive
iftar, the feast with which Muslims break their fast
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INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
The world is well aware of and
admires Bangladesh’s inter-communal
harmony. US ambassadorat-large
for international Religious
Freedom Rashed Hussain
highly lauded religious harmony
and freedom in Bangladesh while
visiting recently. "We are very encouraged
to see people from different
faith groups who are living
together peacefully here," he said
adding that quarters who are trying
to divide and create complication
among people of different
religions must be stopped. The US
ambassador-at-large appreciated
the government's initiative to address
these challenges.
at dusk during the holy month.
Moreover, the initiative by Dharmarajika Buddhist
monastery to distribute food to poor and destitute
Muslims is a shining example of social harmony between
two groups from two different religions in a
South Asian country.
Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen,
Secretary-general of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC), said on March 20, 2021
in a video message "Today Bangladesh
is one of the brightest
examples of religious harmony
and peace." He appreciated the
government’s initiatives taken for
the peaceful coexistence of different
religion groups and for the development
of the country. These
recognition and appreciation of
the communal harmony is surely
a source of pride for the people of
Bangladesh.
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RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
Bangladesh is a country where colourful
festivals are held throughout
the year in a befitting manner
with great enthusiasm without
any religious or racial boundaries.
Ramadan
3 GLARING EXAMPLES OF COMMUNAL HARMONY
Media reports recently portrayed two people of different
religions in Khulna – a Hindu and a Muslim
– setting an example of communal harmony by empathising
with each other's religions. In Bagerhat, a
Hindu man has donated property for the construction
of a mosque and nine Muslim leaders of the local
Awami League have donated a portion of their
Pope Francis, head of the Catholic
Church, prays with representatives
of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism
land for use as a crematorium meant for Hindus’ funeral
service.
In another example, a temple at Khojapur area of
Rajshahi had been closed since 1975 over land issues,
and the land which included the temple was
sold to a Muslim. The temple was never demolished
and when some local devotees inquired about the
Various religious holidays such as
Eid of Muslims, Pujas of Hindus,
Christmas of Christians, Buddha
Purnima of Buddhists, and some
other religious days are observed
nation-wide with shared joys of
all people irrespective of their religions.
Certain festivals are deeply
rooted in the social organism, and
they continue to entertain people
from generation to generation.
These celebrations reflect not only
the imprint of religion but also the
imprint of society and the nation.
Durga Puja
Probarona Purnima
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