Masud Rana, Barishal

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said the United States is our friend and ally.
He made this statement at an interfaith dialogue event held at the Catholic Church in Gournadi Upazila Sadar, Barisal on Monday morning in the presence of US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen.

The Gournadi Upazila administration organized the dialogue program at the Catholic Church adjacent to the bus stand in Gournadi Upazila Sadar on Monday (August 10) at 10:30 am.

Speaking as the chief guest at the event, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan also said, "We will each practice our own religion freely, while also showing respect for the religions and beliefs of others. We will stand by each other in times of trouble and adversity and further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and humanity."

Brent T. Christensen, the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, was present as the special guest at the event.
Local representatives of Muslim, Hindu, and Christian religions and communities participated in the dialogue event, a unique example of religious harmony.
Various issues, including inter-religious harmony, mutual respect, tolerance, and establishing social peace in Bangladesh, and especially in the Gournadi-Agailjhar region, came up in the dialogue.

Speaking at the event, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen said that mutual understanding and harmony between people of different religions and communities must be further strengthened.

Father Michael Milan Deuri spoke at the inter-religious dialogue program held under the chairmanship of Father Liton Francis Gomez, the head priest of the Gournadi Catholic Church, highlighting the harmony of the people of the three communities. Maulana Md. Asaduzzaman, assistant teacher of Kasemabad Kamil Madrasa, spoke on behalf of the Muslim religion, Jatindra Nath Mistry, head teacher of Agailjhara BHP Academy, spoke on behalf of the Hindu religion, Palash Roy, vice president of CCDIB, spoke on behalf of the Christian religion, Sharif Zahir Sajjat Hannan, member secretary of Gournadi Upazila BNP, and Molla Bashir Ahmed Panna, member secretary of Agailjhara Upazila BNP, spoke from among the citizens. Among others, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen's wife, Gournadi Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Mehedi Hasan, OC Tariq Hasan Russell, Barishal District BNP Member Secretary Md. Mizanur Rahman Mukul, Gournadi Upazila Convener Syed Sarwar Alam Biplob, Information Minister's Media Coordinator Khondaker Kawsar Hossain, Gournadi Press Club President Zahurul Islam Zahir, former president Md. Gias Uddin Mia, Khondaker Moniruzzaman Monir, Municipal BNP Convener Md. Zakir Hossain Sharif, Member Secretary Shafiqur Rahman Sharif Swapan and representatives of various political, social and cultural organizations.

The program was hosted by Gournadi Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md. Ibrahim. After the program, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan presented a painting of the two to US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen. After the program, US Ambassador Brent T. Christensen attended a luncheon and rested at the invitation of his wife, the minister, at her residence in Sarikal.