‘Calling for unity is easy, but establishing unity is not’

Staff Reporter :

Advisor to the Interim Government on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Water Resources, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, stated that calling for unity is easy, but establishing it is not. She emphasized that division arises from self-interest. At the individual level, we experience conflicts over property when there are four siblings. At the social level, we face disputes between the rich and the poor. We also encounter conflicts at the state level, and even globally, there are divisions.
She made these remarks as the chief guest at a discussion held at the Ramkrishna Mission and Math in the capital on Thursday night (March 6). The event was part of a week-long program organized in honor of the 190th birth anniversary of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s visit to Bangladesh. The program, which began on March 1, will conclude on March 7.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan further said, “We are now at a time when we witnessed a bloody struggle in Bangladesh in July-August against inequality. The call for unity cannot be made while inequality persists in society. In reality, inequality must be removed from every place before we can talk about justice and unity. First, you have to eliminate inequality, and only then can you talk about unity and justice. We need to decide our goals-whether we will focus on unity or justice. And to achieve unity and justice, we must remove certain things.”
She added, “Our current struggle is a journey towards democracy. We want to see true democracy in the country, where everyone’s opinion is reflected. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said, ‘As many opinions, as many paths.’ This is the true spirit of democracy.”
Syeda Rizwana Hasan also remarked that whenever something good is attempted in society or the state, various obstacles arise. However, she emphasized that the students showed how to overcome these challenges in July and August, as they did not tolerate injustice. They did not want division, but a unified Bangladesh. That is why the students bravely stood in front of bullets. We need leadership in the country where the greater good, not personal interests, is prioritized. For this, we must strengthen our mental resolve. There is no room for compromising small personal interests when it comes to unity. If we put our individual interests aside and work for the greater good of society and the state, we will have nothing to fear. By following the ideals and teachings of these great figures, we can overcome this challenging path and reach our desired goals.”
The event, chaired by Swami Purnatmananda, Principal of Ramkrishna Math in Dhaka, also featured remarks from Professor Dr. Jamila Ahmed Chowdhury, Department of Law, Dhaka University, and Assistant Professor Sonam Saha, Department of Development Studies, Dhaka University, among others.