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Won’t allow anarchy in the name of religion: Sheikh Hasina on ‘Victory Day’
Hasina has consistently strived to deny space to religious extremism since she became prime minister in 2009, and in an address to the nation on the occasion of Victory Day, she reminded the people that her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was opposed to making religion a tool of politics
As India and Bangladesh observed the anniversary of the defeat of Pakistani forces in the war of 1971 on Wednesday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a stern warning about religious fanatics attempting to create divisions in her country.
Hasina has consistently strived to deny space to religious extremism since she became prime minister in 2009, and in an address to the nation on the occasion of Bijoy Divas (Victory Day), she reminded the people that her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was opposed to making religion a tool of politics.
“This Bangladesh is the Bangladesh of Lalon Shah, Rabindranath [Tagore], Kazi Nazrul, Jibanananda...this Bangladesh is the Bangladesh of Shahjalal, Shah Poran, Shah Mokdum, Khanjahan Ali; this Bangladesh is the Bangladesh of Sheikh Mujib and 16.5 crore Bengalis – this country is for all. We won’t allow anyone to create any division and anarchy in the name of religion,” she said.
Hasina contended a section of the forces that were defeated in 1971 are trying to confuse the people of Bangladesh in the name of religion.
“In 1972, the Father of the Nation had said not to make religion a tool of politics. But the associates of the defeated forces are now dreaming of taking the country to a situation which prevailed in the country 50 years back,” she said in the televised address.
“The people of Bangladesh are pious, but not fanatics. We must not make religion as the weapon of politics. Everyone has the right to perform his own religious rituals,” she noted, adding that Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians were involved in the movement for Bangladesh’s independence.
“We must not let the non-communal spirit of the Liberation War fade away,” she said.
Hasina’s warning came ahead of a virtual summit with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on December 17, when the two sides are expected to sign up to nine agreements to boost cooperation in areas such as trade and connectivity and revive the Chilahati-Haldibari railway link, which was snapped 55 years ago during the India-Pakistan war of 1965.
India has moved rapidly amid the Covid-19 crisis to step up connectivity and trade ties with Bangladesh, launching a new cargo train service and beginning the trans-shipment of goods for the northeastern states through Chattogram port. The moves also came against the backdrop of China’s increased efforts to woo Bangladesh through big ticket infrastructure projects.
