Call to maintain communal harmony for continuity of Bangladesh’s development

A call has been made from a discussion to maintain communal harmony for continuity of Bangladesh’s development.

Politicians, economists, academicians, researchers, and former civil and army officers expressed their views at the discussion titled ‘Communal Harmony, Peace and Conflict’ and organised by The Asian Age newspaper at a Dhaka hotel on Monday. 

It was moderated by Shamim Chowdhury, Advisory Editor of the daily.

Its Roving Editor Nadeem Qadir presented the keynote.

He said the Pakistan army maltreated the people of Bangladesh with brazen communal behaviour. He recalled a few personal experiences during the Liberation War of 1971 to describe how ruthlessly the Pakistan army massacred people from the Hindus faith across Bangladesh.

He gave a brief picture of how communal hatred was spread once again throughout Bangladesh after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

Bangladesh Bank's former governor Atiur Rahman said the country's people, inspired by Bangabandhu, joined the freedom struggle, irrespective of whether they were Hindu or Muslim.

The communal harmony also worked in the recent development of Bangladesh, he thinks.

Richard Benkin, a US-born human rights activist, who spoke as the main discussant, said, "Bangladesh can become the leader of communal harmony in South Asia if all concerned work together with the goal of eliminating communal entities from the country."

"I urge Bangladesh to be a part of the solution to communal hazards rather than being a part of the trouble. Communalism makes countries vulnerable to international embargos," he added.

Former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AK Azad Chowdhury, former foreign secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, former chief of the border guards Md Mainul Islam, BM Muzammel Huq MP of the Awami League, CPB Assistant General Secretary Kazi Sazzad Zahir, and Shoeb Chowdhury, Chairman, Editorial Board of The Asian Age, among others, spoke at the programme.