PM says citizenship, not religious identity would drive nation-building

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday said a person's Bangladesh citizenship status, and not religious identity would be the driving force behind the struggle for nation building .

He urged all the countrymen to follow the spirit of unity demonstrated during the Liberation War, the movement to restore democracy in 1990 and the 2024 mass uprising.

"Just as people of all faiths fought shoulder to shoulder in the Liberation War, the movement to restore democracy [in 1990] and the 2024 mass uprising, everyone must work together beyond religious identities in the journey of nation-building," he said.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing members of the Hindu community during visits to Durga Puja mandaps in the capital's Mohakhali and Gulshan-Banani areas on Sunday night.

Recalling the Liberation War of 1971, Tarique Rahman said people had fought together to liberate the country without considering their religious identities. "Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians-all those who love this country-joined together to liberate the country," he said.

Referring to the struggles to restore democracy after independence, the Prime Minister said people had repeatedly taken to the streets to establish their voting rights and freedom of expression whenever democracy came under threat.

"Religious identity had never been a barrier to those movements," he added.

Recalling the Mass Uprising of 2024, he said men and women from all walks of life had taken to the streets regardless of their political affiliations or religious identities and had stood shoulder to shoulder to make the uprising successful.

Tarique Rahman said the most important identity shared by all is that they were citizens of Bangladesh.

"Our greatest identity is that we are all people of Bangladesh. You have the same rights over this country as I do. To establish those rights, people of every religion and profession must work shoulder to shoulder to build the country," he said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had a thousand-year history and tradition of people of all faiths living together peacefully.

"Everyone should aspire to ensure that people of all religions could continue to live together in peace for another thousand years," he added.

During the visits, Tarique Rahman first went to the Durga Puja mandap at Mohakhali Rakshakali Temple, where he exchanged greetings with members of the Puja celebration committee and members of the Hindu community.

He later visited a Puja mandap in Banani and exchanged greetings with worshippers and visitors.

Prime Minister's wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqul Islam Milton accompanied him during the visits.