Want to ensure right of people of all religions and opinions to speak: State Minister

Mohammad Shamim Kaiser, State Minister for Religious Affairs, has said he will make the utmost effort to ensure that people of all religions and opinions can speak freely from their respective positions. He made the remark while exchanging views with journalists in the meeting room of the Ministry of Religious Affairs at the Secretariat around noon on Sunday (August 23).

The State Minister for Religious Affairs said a special characteristic of Bangladesh is that the majority of people in this country are religious. Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony and religious values. Communal harmony in the country will be further strengthened if people of every religion can follow and uphold the teachings of their respective religious scriptures.

Raising the context of establishing the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Shamim Kaiser said martyr President Ziaur Rahman had realised the necessity of a separate ministry on religious affairs in Bangladesh. In the same way, former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia had given special importance to religious values. BNP has occupied a large place among people because of giving importance to Bangladeshi nationalism and religious values.

He also replied to journalists’ questions regarding a statement given by an organization about his recent appointment as State Minister for Religious Affairs. Shamim Kaiser said not a hundred percent of people vote for a party in any election. It is natural for people to have likes and dislikes. In the same way, it cannot be expected that everyone will like any appointment of the government.

He said sometimes if any issue cannot be presented directly and clearly or if fragmented information is published, it can be interpreted differently. The scope for misunderstanding will reduce if mutual communication and discussion increase and any confusion can be removed if it exists.

Mentioning the meeting with the ulema, the State Minister for Religious Affairs said he had gone to Jamia Madania Baridhara on Saturday. There he spoke with many top ulema of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. They had various questions and he thinks he has been able to satisfy them through discussion.

Shamim Kaiser said the Ministry of Religious Affairs will work on the coexistence of ulema of different opinions in the country and on religious values. He will go not only to the leaders of Islam but also to the leaders and religious gurus of other religions. Efforts will be made to remove the confusions or misunderstandings that exist through discussion.

Religious Affairs Secretary Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, Director General of Islamic Foundation Muhammad Muhibullahil Baqi, Additional Secretary of Hajj Wing Dr Ayatul Islam and other senior officials of the ministry were present at the exchange of views meeting.