Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said Buddhist Circuit Development between the Buddhist of Bangladesh and India may further deepen the bond between the two neighbouring countries.
“Buddhist culture link between Bangladesh and India may act as a catalyst for further enhancing friendship and understanding, particularly in the area of people-to-people contact,” he said.
The foreign minister was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on “Buddhism & Buddhist Circuit Development between Bangladesh & India” at Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery at Sabujbagh in the capital.
He said Buddhism and its heritage need to be used as a tool of “bonding friendship” among the countries.
“While we (Bangladesh and India) may continue to work bilaterally, we also need to follow a region-level approach within South Asia and expanding it to South-east Asia to unleash the potential of the region’s Buddhist heritage for inclusive development,” he said.
Momen underlined the need for strengthening activities within the regional organizations like SAARC and BIMSTEC to explore ways and means to conserve and promote the cultural diversity in the region, especially promoting Buddhist circuit.
“Establishing a good Buddhist circuit can play a catalytic role in this regard,” he said.
Momen said Lord Buddha was a torchbearer of peace and humanity while Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his historic UNGA speech in 1974 underscored the importance of peace for the survival of mankind.
“Bangabandhu always believed that peace is imperative for development,” he said, adding that following Bangabandhu’s philosophy, Bangladesh became an ardent advocate for world peace.
The minister said Bangabandhu’s able daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also working relentlessly for peace and prosperity for all.
“In fact, for ensuring prosperity in the region, we need peaceful co-existence of all nations and all countries,” he said.
Buddhist circuit development can play a vital role in this regard and the teaching of Lord Buddha could be a good basis for a peaceful society and peaceful region, he added.
“It is our constitutional commitment to ensure secularism as it is mentioned in the preamble as one of the fundamental principles of Bangladesh,” Momen said.
In Bangladesh, he said, people from all religions are peacefully living and promoting their culture and heritage.
“All religions are equally treated in Bangladesh. We don’t discriminate,” said the foreign minister.
Prime Minister’s Environment and Climate Change Affairs Special Envoy Saber Hossain Chowdhury joined the seminar as the special guest with Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha President Vedanta Buddhapriya Mahathero in the chair.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha