‘Religion is personal, citizenship comes first’

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has urged members of the Hindu community to identify themselves as equal citizens of Bangladesh rather than as a minority, stressing that religious identity may differ but nationality is shared.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the historic central Janmashtami procession at the Dhakeshwari National Temple premises in Dhaka on Friday.

The procession was organised by the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.

Addressing the gathering, Salahuddin Ahmed said the government’s objective was to ensure religious freedom, peaceful coexistence and social harmony.

He said people could retain their respective religious identities, but all should live in Bangladesh primarily as citizens with equal rights.

“Religion is personal, the state belongs to everyone and everyone has the right to security,” he said, referring to the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom for all communities.

The Home Minister said the Constitution prohibited discrimination on the basis of religion and guaranteed freedom to practise religion, as well as security for places of worship and the right to establish such institutions.

“We do not want to remain satisfied with simply having these principles written in the Constitution,” he said, adding that the government wanted to ensure religious freedom and harmony in practice.

Salahuddin said members of all communities – including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and ethnic groups – should be able to practise their respective religions and maintain their cultural traditions freely.

“However, as a nationality, we will all remain citizens of Bangladesh and there will be harmony among us,” he said.

He stressed that Bangladesh should come first, followed by religious, cultural and ethnic identities.
“You are free citizens of Bangladesh.

No one should identify themselves as a minority,” he said, urging people to identify themselves based on citizenship rather than religion and as citizens enjoying equal rights. The minister also questioned the continued use of the term “communal harmony”, saying the country should instead focus on religious harmony, coexistence, social peace and social harmony.

He said these principles should guide relations among people regardless of their religious identities.
At the event, Metropolitan Sarbojonin Puja Celebration Committee President Gopal Chandra Debnath presided over the programme.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Ethnic Minority Affairs Bijon Kanti Sarker, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam and other dignitaries also attended.