Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina has given a reassuring message to the Hindu minority community of her country. Sheikh Hasina was addressing an event organized to greet members of the Hindu community at Ganabhaban in national capital Dhaka on the occasion of Janmashtami. Speaking to the members of the Hindu community present in the event Sheikh Hasina said, “You, the people of the Hindu community, will live here with your own rights. This soil also belongs to you… All citizens of Bangladesh have their own equal rights,” The Bangladeshi PM went on to add that the Hindus which are a minority group in the country will enjoy ‘equal rights’ in every walk of life, ‘socioeconomic, education, healthcare and religious rituals’. Hasina also pointed out her role in ensuring that the citizens of her country get to equally enjoy the benefits irrespective of their religion and other bias which exists. Being the Prime Minister of Bangladesh it is her responsibility to ensure that equality exists in the society.
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The Bangladeshi PM went on to cite instances from the 1971 Liberation War which was fought under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She added that people from all religions had come together to fight for the independence of the country and had given up their lives when the time came. This according to Sheikh Hasina was the story of the Bangladesh Liberation War fought against the aggressor Pakistan and, “So, this country belongs to the people of all religions.” She urged the leaders of the Hindu community to work alongside their Muslim counterparts in order to develop Bangladesh and make it a prosperous country. She stressed upon the fact that every religion preaches harmony and peace and wished that the people would maintain solidarity in order to develop Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi PM spoke about the recently enacted law in Bangladesh which allowed Hindu community members to transfer property to their close relatives without paying a tax. Such a law named, ‘heba law’ was already in force for the members of the Muslim community, but enacting one for the Hindus has been one of the many success story under Sheikh Hasina’s rule. She wished the members of the Hindu community present at the venue in Dhaka and extended her greetings to all the residents of the country. Other ministers and personalities present at the occasion included Religious Affairs Minister Matior Rahman, leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Committee, Janmashtami Udjapan Parishad and Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee.
Sheikh Hasina has tried to curb the radical extremist organisations in the country and has tried to make her country go ahead on the road to progress. Her visit to India and her talks with PM Modi have ensured that India and Bangladesh have renewed their bilateral ties with gusto. Her talks with PM Modi included discussing strategies dealing with the Rohingya crisis and NRC draft. While India has always extended its support to Bangladesh by providing them with energy and technological knowhow to increase connectivity and to build infrastructure the safety of the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh had always been a bystander. With initiatives like these coming from the Bangladeshi PM, India’s faith in the leadership will be renewed and it will try to bring in more projects which will mutually benefit both the parties concerned.
