MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPULet Durga Puja be a reminder of Bangladesh’s valuesIt is good to see Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam state that all security arrangements have been made on the occasion of Durga Puja, which is to be held over this week, and is the most significant religious festival of the Hindu community. Despite making some progress when it comes to communal violence, there is no argument to be made that Bangladesh remains some way away from ensuring that its minority population always feel safe in their own country. This year too has seen numerous, separate incidents of miscreants attacking homes and places of religious worship of our minority populations. However, it is also a shame that it has come to a point where we must acknowledge the need for extra security for our Hindu population, or any other minority community for that matter. Let Durga Puja be a reminder of Bangladesh’s values -- that of secularism, democracy, and equality -- which were the foundational values of Bangladesh.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 11, 2021 22:18 UTC