Cultural practice of children urgent for communal harmony: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the cultural practice of children is essential to maintain communal harmony in the country.

He said this while speaking at a memorial meeting on late children organiser and journalist Rafiqul Haque (Dadu Bhai), organised by North Bengal Journalists Forum (NBJF) at Swadhinata auditorium in the capital’s Segunbagicha area this afternoon.

Speaking as the chief guest, Hasan, also the Awami League joint general secretary, called upon the journalists to come forward to spread non-communal spirit among the countrymen, reports BSS.

Paying homage to Rafiqul Haque, he said the role of Haque in developing the talents of children should be followed in the days to come.

He has asked the authorities concerned to reintroduce ‘Natun Kori’ programme on Bangladesh Television and requested newspapers’ authorities to publish children’s pages in their newspapers every week in order to develop children’s talent,

He said often fundamental forces continue their mischievous attempts to destroy communal harmony in the country.

“The perpetrators will be further eliminated if we can make children cultural oriented and inculcate non-communal spirit into them,” he added.

Noting that journalists have the capacity to develop the mentality of people, Hasan said they can play a vital role in spreading non-communal spirit among people to maintain communal harmony in the country.

Chaired by NBJF acting president Nazmul Haque Sarkar, the meeting was addressed, among others, by the former general secretary of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) MA Aziz and its former treasurer Khairuzzaman Kamal. General Secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu moderated it.

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters from ten Hindu organisations staged demonstration on Friday at Shahbagh protesting recent attacks on temples, vandalism of idols, arson and violence against Hindu community.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) led the events in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh.

“Don’t think Hindus are weak anymore. We will now respond to all attacks on the streets,” National Hindu Forum General Secretary Manik Sarkar said, reports UNB.

President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Tapas Paul said, “Attacks on Hindus, vandalism, killings and attacks on our business establishments are being carried out all over the country systematically. But the government and administration are taking action after the incident instead of preventing them.”

He also announced that a hunger strike protest will be observed in Shahbag from 10am to 12pm today. At least seven people were killed across the country in recent attacks on temples and Hindu communities following a purported incident of demeaning the Holy Quran in Cumilla.