Issuing a strong note of warning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government would not allow anybody to speak by hurting the religious sentiments of others, reports UNB. “People will follow their respective religions. If anybody doesn’t perform his or her religion, he or she won’t do so. But, he or she has no right to hurt others’ religious sentiments,” she said. The prime minister came up with the warning when the leaders of the Hindu community called on her at her official residence Gana Bhaban in the afternoon on the eve of Janmashtami. “Talking by hurting religious sentiments won’t be tolerated and all will have to refrain from it,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina said everybody will show respect to his or her respective religion. “Like that he or she would honour others’ religions and then religion would be honoured...it is the reality and we want such practice in Bangladesh,” she said.
Earlier, a silence was observed for one minute as a mark of respects to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage as well as the martyrs of the August 21 grenade attack. The Prime Minister called upon the Hindu community people not to undermine themselves by calling them minority. “You have immense contribution to the nation’s every movement and struggle. So, we want you will live in this country with own rights and right to motherland,” she said.