BANGLADESH has been a country of communal harmony both traditionally and constitutionally. More than 160 million people of different religious communities have been living here since its birth. People of all religions of the country celebrate their respective religious festivals peacefully. Like all previous years Saraswati puja, one of the major religious festivals of the Hindu community was celebrated this year on Monday (January 22, 2018). Like hundreds of many other devotees I also went to Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University to pay my reverence to goddess of wisdom and learning, Devi Saraswati. Many departments from different faculties arrange puja there with great festivity. I took part in offering Pushpanjali (paying reverence ritual with flowers) this year to the goddess at the mandapa arranged by the Department of Islamic History and Culture. I was very happy to see the students of this department taking part in the festival and joining their friends from other departments. The name of the department and its Saraswati puja celebration may seem conflicting, but one of the students on being asked by me clarified the situation. He informed that many Hindus are students of the subject and puja celebrations are being organized by them every year. This appeared to me not only a burning example of inter-religious tolerance but also a direct slap on the faces of religious extremist who try to stigmatize the traditional communal peace and harmony in the country. I hope this example would help us make more respectful to every religion.
Probir Chandra Das
Credit Risk Management-V,
National Bank Ltd, HO, Dilkusha, Dhaka
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