Uphold the spirit of tolerance

The government has urged all concerned to uphold the spirit of tolerance, inclusivity, peace and pluralism and stand guard against further efforts to malign the state institutions and tarnish the image of the country.

"The government remains committed to preventing the recurrence of such untoward incidents and would expect that further complication or misunderstanding would be averted through responsible and fact-based reporting through all media platforms," the foreign ministry said yesterday.

The government remains "concerned" that certain vested quarters are carrying out such premeditated attacks to gain some dubious political mileage.

"It's regrettable that the local elements who had opposed Bangladesh's independence 50 year ago are still propagating their toxic narratives to instigate violence, hatred and bigotry," the ministry said.

They are trying to undermine Bangladesh's secular, non-communal and pluralistic credentials in the international context by deliberately targeting one of the biggest religious festivals of the country, it mentioned.

The government appreciated the Hindu community for concluding the festivities in a befitting spirit and also welcomed the overwhelming show of solidarity by people in general.

When the people of Bangladesh were celebrating the Durga Puja in a joyous mood, there emerged reports of attacks on Hindu religious sites and idols in different parts of the country.

The government "unequivocally condemned" those incidents and took "serious note of the reactions" from within and outside the Hindu community.

As an immediate measure, the Bangladesh Border Guard was deployed in 22 districts in aid of the civilian administration, the foreign ministry said.

Some 71 cases have been filed in connection with those incidents.

The alleged mastermind behind the Cumilla attacks has already been arrested, said the statement.

The government reiterated that communal harmony and peaceful co-existence are cornerstones of democratic polity. For centuries, people from different faiths, ethnicities and religions have been living in this land in peace and harmony.

The ministry said the Bangladesh government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has set an example by advocating the motto of "Each unto his or her religion, festivals are for all."

Bangladesh is perhaps the only country where the major religious festivals of all religions are observed as public holidays, said the statement.