President urges all to maintain communal harmony

President Abdul Hamid Tuesday urged the countrymen irrespective of all religion and opinions to play a proper role in national development by maintaining tradition of communal harmony, reports BSS.
The President was speaking at a reception he hosted for members of the Buddhist Community at Bangabhaban Tuesday afternoon on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
Noting that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, the President said people of all religion of the country had been performing their respective religious rituals freely. "It is our tradition of harmony," he said.
President Abdul Hamid said Gautama Buddha had disseminated verses of equality and friendship his entire life for establishing a peaceful world.
"I believe the idealism of Buddha can play an important role in checking degradation of values and establishing peace in the society in this present unruly and intolerant world," the President said.
State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing, Buddhist religious leaders including Satya Priyo Mohathero, ambassadors and high commissioners of different Buddhist countries including Thailand, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, representatives of various international organisations and professionals of Buddhist community attended the reception.