Spl JS Session on Mujib Barsha President urges tolerance, understanding

President Md Abdul Hamid on Monday urged the political parties to keep the culture of tolerance towards others’ opinions, maintain mutual respect, and attach due importance to others’ views in order to give democracy an institutional shape.

HE was addressing the Jatiya Sangsad special session marking the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.   

‘The political parties shall have to nurture the culture of tolerance of others’ opinion, have mutual respect, and attach due importance to others’ views in order to give democracy an institutional shape,’ the president said.

‘We shall have to protect our independence, which we snatched from the clutches of the Pakistani invaders in exchange for a sea of blood,’ he said, adding that the benefits of freedom shall have to be delivered on the doorsteps of all.

‘Unity is needed most for building the “Sonar Bangla” of Bangabandhu — a unity of the people, especially of those on the side of the liberation war,’ he said.

‘The unity that brought us together in 1971 has to be forged against communalism, undemocratic behaviour and violence,’ he stressed.

By getting imbued with the spirit of 1971, we shall have to build resistance to those who seek to hinder the trend of the country’s advancement through confusion-mongering and derailing the simple-minded people of this land by denying the reality and concocting imaginary stories and situations, he said.

‘There is no scope to look at Bangabandhu and Bangladesh separately. One has to know about Bangabandhu in order to know Bangladesh, the struggle for freedom of the Bangalis and the liberation war,’ he said.

The president said that Sheikh Mujib used to place equal emphasis on socioeconomic development alongside democratic progress as long as he lived.

The president in his one-hour-long speech requested the international communities, including the United Nations, to extend necessary supports for the displaced Rohingya refugees in returning to their homeland with dignity.

‘Bangladesh has repeatedly raised the issue on world forums, including the United Nations, to take these refugees back to their homeland with dignity. In the meantime, a case of brutal persecution and genocide against the Rohingyas has been placed at the International Court of Justice and the Court has issued some preliminary directives to the Myanmar Government,’ he pointed out.

‘We want the displaced Rohingya refugees to return to their homeland with dignity. I would reiterate my appeal to all countries and international organisations, including the United Nations, to extend necessary supports in this regard,’ Abdul Hamid said.

He said that in spite of various adversities and with a population of 160 million, Bangladesh has given shelter, solely on humanitarian grounds, to around one million displaced Rohingya refugees infiltrating from the neighboring Myanmar.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net