Staff Correspondent

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday stressed the need for maximum caution and preparedness to prevent any attempts to destabilise the country during the Durga Puja celebrations.

“Although autocracy has fallen, we have seen clear examples that their conspiracies have not ended. So, ahead of this year’s Durga Puja, we must remain the highest alert and prepared to resist any such attempts,” he said in a statement issued ahead of the festival.

Tarique urged all BNP units and affiliated organisations to provide full support, working with people at all levels, to ensure that the Durga Puja festival of the Hindu community is celebrated smoothly.

“We respect the religious rights of every citizen in this country. We are committed to maintaining religious harmony in Bangladesh, and our stand against any attempt to destroy it is firm and clear,” he observed.

The BNP leader also extended his heartfelt greetings to all members of the Hindu community, saying, “The largest religious festival of the Hindu community, Durga Puja, is approaching. I convey my sincere best wishes to all my brothers and sisters observing this festival.”

Traditionally, he said, Durga Puja has been celebrated peacefully with the cooperation of all communities, setting a unique example of religious harmony in Bangladesh.

Tarique warned that in recent times, some beneficiaries of the previous autocratic regime had tried to disrupt this long-established communal harmony, creating tension and conflict during Durga Puja through wrongful acts for unethical political purposes.

He reaffirmed his party’s commitment to protecting religious rights and resisting any efforts to undermine them.

Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, will formally begin across the country on September 28.