Chattogram will be a shining example of communal harmony, says Dr Shahadat

Chattogram city will be a role model in building Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's rainbow nation with people of all ethnicities and religions, said Chattogram City Corporation administrator Dr Shahadat Hossain.

He made the remarks as chief guest at a meeting organised by the Golpahar Mahashmashan Kali Temple management committee on Saturday night (7 November) on the occasion of Shyama Puja celebrations in the city.

Dr Shahadat Hossain said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is taking the country forward with people of all religions. He gives importance to people of all communities. As part of that, the prime minister came to Chattogram during the Sharadiya Durga Puja. He gave a message of harmony and expressed firm resolve to move forward with everyone.

He said he too wants to turn Chattogram into a green, clean and safe city, where people of all religions will live safely and everyone will observe their own festivals and religious rituals.

He said development work is under way at the Abhaymitra Mahashmashan on the initiative of the city corporation. An electric crematorium worth two crore taka will be installed there in January. New mahashmashans are being built in Bakalia, Kattali and Halishahar.

He added that a lotus has been installed in front of the Buddhist monastery opposite DC Hill. Durga Puja and Janmashtami are celebrated on the initiative of the city corporation. Chattogram city will therefore be a shining example of communal harmony.

Dr Shahadat said he will look into the land problem of the Golpahar Mahashmashan Kali Temple. Steps will be taken so that the khas land is permanently allocated in the name of the temple. Whatever needs to be done by the Chattogram City Corporation for the development of the temple will be done, he said.

In his speech as special guest, former general secretary of Chattogram Metropolitan BNP Abul Hashem Bakkar said the fascist government tried to keep Hindus away from BNP through the politics of division. But BNP does not practise the politics of division. BNP practises the politics of moving forward with people of all religions.

He said Hindus overwhelmingly supported BNP in the 12 February election. 'We want to stay with Hindus. We want to cooperate with them in all their joys and sorrows and festivals,' he said.

The programme was chaired by Lion R K Dash Rupu, president of the Golpahar Mahashmashan and Kali Temple management committee. The blessing was given by Srimat Tapanananda Giri Maharaj, principal of the Shankar Math and Mission in Sitakunda. Special guest Biplab De Partha, acting general secretary of the central committee of the Sri Sri Janmashtami Celebration Council Bangladesh, was also present.

The welcome address was delivered by Ruvel De, general secretary of the Golpahar Mahashmashan and Kali Temple management committee. Professor Swadesh Chakraborty was the religious speaker. The programme was conducted by Shimul Muhuri, publicity and publication secretary of the temple management committee.

Also present were senior vice presidents Kajal Deb, Sadhan Singh, Soumitra Chakraborty, Parimal Sikder, Nickel De, Babul Chowdhury, Bishwanath Dash Bishu and Lelin De, joint general secretaries Sujan Dash, Munmun Dutta Munna, Siddhartha Shankar Sidhu, Chandan Mahajan, Sanjay Prasad Mallik, Shaibal Bhowmik and Arjun Kumar Nath, organisational secretary Suman Ghosh Badsha, finance secretary Debashish Roy, assistant general secretaries Ratan De, Ashish Acharya and Tuhin Roy, among others. Later, a musical programme was held with performances by renowned artistes.