Bangladesh provides ‘expansive degree’ of religious freedom: US

The visiting US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, David N Saperstein, has hailed Bangladesh’s religious tradition and said the country provides an “expansive degree” of religious freedom.

The ambassador was responding to different questions at a live Facebook chat on Thursday, after his meeting with foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali.

He said the primary challenges to religious freedom were manifested “in the occasional violent acts against religious individuals, communities, and institutions that we have seen in recent years”.

“On core issues of religious freedom is that can religious communities organize in accordance with their beliefs, build houses of worship and pray freely, celebrate their festivals - privately and publicly?, and Bangladesh provides an expansive degree of those religious freedom,” he said.

“This is in accordance with its constitution, its values, and its history.”

He hoped that his maiden visit would contribute to “affirming the close relationship between our two countries and to enhancing the cause of religious freedom for all”.

In a statement from the foreign ministry said that he also commended the religious tradition in Bangladesh, and told Ali that he found the tradition “quite remarkable”.

Saperstein also apprised the foreign minister about his visit to Dhaka and termed Bangladesh as an ‘extraordinarily free country’ in terms of freedom of worship and peaceful coexistence of various faith-based communities.

Describing his visit to Bangladesh as a ‘gratifying experience’, he said he appreciated the ability of the people to celebrate festivals irrespective of religious identity.

He also “commended” the action taken by government in the aftermath of recent incidents involving the minority population, and said he appreciated the steps taken to protect their rights, the foreign ministry statement added.

US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat was also present during the meeting at the state guest house Padma.

The foreign minister welcomed his visit to Bangladesh, and said the present government has reinstated secularism in the constitution and has been taking necessary steps to ensure rights of people of all faiths.

Quoting the Prime Minister’s comment “religion belongs to the individual but festivals belong to everyone”, the foreign minister said that people respect each and everyone’s faith and enjoy festivals without hindrance during the rule of Awami League.