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Sunday | October 11, 2026 | Dhaka

‘Bangladesh first’ must unite citizens beyond religious divisions

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 11 October 2026

The government wants to build a Bangladesh where citizens are identified as Bangladeshis rather than divided into majority and minority groups, Prime Minister’s Adviser and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) spokesperson Mahdi Amin said on Saturday, emphasising equal rights, security, freedom and dignity for all.

Mahdi Amin has called for a Bangladesh free from religious discrimination, saying the government wants every citizen to enjoy equal rights and dignity regardless of religious identity.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Mahalaya celebration organised by the Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation at Banani Ground in the capital at dawn on Saturday, Amin said the government had a specific plan to ensure equal rights, security and respect for every individual.

“Every citizen would enjoy equal rights, equal security, equal freedom and equal dignity from the state, society and government. Ensuring these rights, security and respect for every individual as a citizen is a specific plan of the government,” he said.

Amin urged people from all religious and ethnic backgrounds to work together to establish truth and justice and build a modern, harmonious Bangladesh by overcoming adversities and obstacles.

“The government wants to build a Bangladesh where no one would face discrimination or division because of their religious identity.

Everyone would be able to live freely with their heads held high and participate in the country’s overall development and progress with equal dignity,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s support for Durga Puja, Amin said allocations for every Durga Puja mandap had been increased this year under the Prime Minister’s directive after a long interval.

The number of government holidays for the festival had also been extended in response to the community’s long-standing demand.

He described Mahalaya as a symbol of renewed hope and the victory of good over evil, saying its central message was to leave darkness behind and ensure the triumph of light.

Amin also said Durga Puja represented a strong bond grounded in Bangladesh’s longstanding traditions, culture and communal harmony.

Describing the people as the country’s greatest strength, he said their shared aspirations and expectations, coupled with their firm determination to remain united, drove Bangladesh’s progress.

He added that the government considered the interests of the people, national sovereignty and the overall welfare of the public its foremost priorities.

“That is why we say, ‘Bangladesh First’,” he added.
Amin said advancing the country’s interests required everyone to work shoulder to shoulder.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bijon Kanti Sarkar, Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pawan Kumar Badhe, Vice-Chairman of the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Tapan Kanti Majumder, Gulshan-Banani Sarbojanin Puja Foundation President Alok Saha and General Secretary Binoy Gopal Roy, among others, attended the event.

The foundation’s leaders welcomed Amin with flowers and presented him with a traditional uttariya, or ceremonial shawl, when he arrived at the venue at 6am.

A special cultural programme was held afterwards. The celebration of Maha Mahalaya marked the beginning of the countdown to Sharadiya Durga Puja.