Rise above narrow self interest and communal barriers, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina tells Indian youth

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received an honorary DLitt at a special convocation in Kazi Nazual University in Burdwan.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday surprised the audience at Kazi Nazual University in Bengal’s Burdwan district by asking Indian youths to rise above communal barriers.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks during a visit at Netaji Bhawan in Kolkata on Saturday.(PTI)

“Many of you will enter professional life after completing your studies. I have only one request to all of you. Value humanity above everything else. Always treat human beings with respect. Rise above narrow self interest and communal barriers,” Hasina said at the university’s special convocation where she received an honorary DLitt.

The Bangladesh Awami League president frequently speaks against radical Muslim groups in her country but she never spoke on communalism during her recent visits to India.

“It is our duty to stop youths from getting swayed by global terrorism. I seek cooperation from all my neighbours in the combat against terrorism in the region,” she said on Saturday.

The special convocation coincided with the third convocation at KNU in Asansol town. On Saturday, 416 students from 19 departments received post-graduation certificates.

Hasina also asked the students to follow the example of legendary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh, in promoting communal harmony. “In his works, Kazi Nazrul has always spoken of communal harmony. That is why he lives in the hearts of Indians and Bengalis. Similarly, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore belongs to both the countries,” Hasina said.

She raised the Rohingya issue and sought cooperation of India and other neighbouring countries to solve the refugee crisis