Dhaka: BNP Student Affairs Secretary Rakibul Islam Bokul emphasized that Durga Puja is not just a Hindu festival but a vital part of Bangladesh’s national cultural heritage. He made these remarks during a views exchange meeting with leaders of the Khulna Puja Celebration Committee and the Metropolitan Puja Celebration Front at a city hotel on Sunday.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bokul stated, “Durga Puja is a celebration that belongs to the entire nation. It is woven into our cultural identity. The tendency to use the Sanatan (Hindu) community as political capital must come to an end.” He reiterated the BNP’s commitment to advocating for the rights of all citizens, transcending religious or ethnic backgrounds.
Bokul highlighted that the BNP’s politics focus on serving the people rather than seeking power, affirming that the party has consistently supported a non-communal Bangladesh. He credited the late President Ziaur Rahman with uniting people of all communities under Bangladeshi nationalism and noted that Tarique Rahman continues to advance this vision.
He assured that the BNP would remain supportive of the people, even when not in power. Bokul pledged that, if given the mandate, the BNP would work towards creating a modern, discrimination-free, and non-communal Bangladesh under Tarique Rahman’s leadership. “In that new Bangladesh, there will be no label of ‘minority.’ Everyone, regardless of religion, is Bangladeshi, and every citizen will enjoy equal rights, freedom, and security,” he added.
The meeting was presided over by Khulna BNP President Advocate Shafiqul Alam Mona and conducted by General Secretary Shafiqul Alam Tuhin. Other speakers included Shyamal Halder, President of the Metropolitan Puja Committee, Prashanta Kundu, General Secretary, Dr. Pradip Debnath, President of the Puja Celebration Front, along with BNP leaders Sheikh Sadi and Masud Parvez, and several party activists.