Staff Correspondent

Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman on Friday said he wants to build a beautiful and progressive Bangladesh with support from all the major religious communities.

He made the remark at “Kothin Chibor Dan” festival of the Buddhist community held at International Buddhist Monastery in Merul in the capital.

Drawing attention to the prevailing religious harmony in Bangladesh, he said the Buddhist religious leaders had themselves decided to delay the start of their programme due to a Muslim call for prayers being sounded from a nearby mosque.

Waker-uz-Zaman lauded this show of respect for other religions as “incomparable.”

He asked the religious communities to continue living together harbouring the same sense of mutual respect and pledged to do everything necessary to ensure this unity.

The law enforcers provided security support during the Hindus’ Durga Puja festival in October, thereby ensuring smooth arrangements, the army chief said validating his security assurance for all religious communities.

He assured of delivering whenever religious groups would seek any kind of support.

He praised the guests of the event including envoys from Thailand, Vietnam and Australia for contributing towards communal peace in Bangladesh

Thailand has particularly helped erect numerous Buddhist temples in the country, he recollected.

The army chief also called on the indigenous communities of Chattogram hill tract region, where the army maintains a strong presence to prevent terrorist activities by some indigenous community members.

Noting there are security lapses in the hill tracts, Waker-uz-Zaman said his force would work to resolve the issues and create a beautiful environment, where both Bangalees and indigenous people can live in harmony.

Addressing the indigenous people, he vowed to do everything needed for preserving their diverse cultures, languages and lifestyles. Calling the diverse indigenous cultures as a huge asset, he said he wants to respect these.

Bangladesh Buddhist Federation President Prof Sukumar Barua president over the event and Thai Ambassador Makawadee Sumitmor delivered the welcome speech.