Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina today (Thursday) asked her party leaders and workers to strengthen area-wise vigilance and hold peace meetings to maintain communal harmony.    "Communal harmony will have to be maintained by ensuring intensified area-wise vigilance by our leaders and activists alongside arranging meetings and processions of peace to ensure co-existence as no violence occurs," she said.   The premier said this while inaugurating a multi-storied Cumilla Awami League office with all the modern facilities joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital.    She also called upon the countrymen to be respectful to all the religions as citizens of a secular state.   The Prime Minister called the Cumilla incident "very regretful", urging the countrymen not to take law in hand.   She said, "If anyone commits crime, our government will definitely brought the culprits to book whoever he or she might be."   Responding to the demand of formation of a division with Cumilla, she proposed to set up two divisions after the names of "Padma" with Faridpur and its surrounding districts and "Meghna" with Cumilla and its neighbouring districts.   Sheikh Hasina reminded all that every religion is talking about peace and Bangladeshi people are living in a non-communal society over decades where harmony has been prevailing among the followers of every faith.   She said people fought against the Pakistani occupation forces shoulder to shoulder and shed blood irrespective of their caste, creed and religions for the country's independence responding to the clarion call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.   "We want that the people of all faiths such as Muslim, Hindu, Boudhha and Christian and all classes will live in the society peacefully with due dignity and honour," she opined.   The Prime Minister called upon all to show due respect to other religions as everyone has the similar right to observe religious rites and similarly none has the right to malign other's religion.   "One has to respect the religion of others alongside showing honour to his own religion. If anyone disrespects another's religion, he basically dishonors his own religion," she said.   She said if people analyze the incident of attack on Cumilla Hindu temple, they would find that disrespect has been shown to "our holy Quaran" while trying to dishonor the religion of others, which she termed as the "most regretful matter".   The Prime Minister said her government has taken prompt measures to rehabilitate the harmed Hindu community people by giving them temporary shelters, food and other required measures.    She added: "We have arranged tents and dry and cooked foods for the victims immediately following the incidents in Cumilla, Pirganj of Rangpur and other places. We have also provided clothes and treatments to them. We will build their homes and measures to this end have already taken."    The premier said a section of vested-quarters like the BNP-Jamaat always tries to commit such incident as they do not tolerate the country's development anymore.   "They (ill-cliques) are out to make their own fate since assuming power after assassination of the Father of the Nation," she said.    Bangabandhu has dedicated his entire life for the welfare of the people and the nation, she said, adding that being soldiers of the ideal of the Father of the Nation, "you have to devote your life for the people's wellbeing".    Sheikh Hasina said that she felt very happy by inaugurating the Cumilla AL office and wanted to establish such kind of office for her party in every district.   The Prime Minister continued that the Awami League was established at the hand of the Father of the Nation for serving the people and asked her party leaders and workers to stand by the masses in their hardships. Spelling out various measures taken by her government for the overall development of Cumilla, the Prime Minister said the government will continue the work for uplift of the district.    She said the Father of the Nation has not only given the country's independence, but also the way for economic development and therefore, the country has now become a developing nation following his footprints and InshaAllah it will be transformed into a developed one.    "The country is now progressing ahead. We will take the country forward and build a developed and prosperous country as envisioned by the Father of the Nation," the premier said.   Sheikh Hasina said she has prepared a plan to turn the country into a developed one from the developing nation upholding its present status so that the people of the country, being a victorious nation, could move around the world with due dignity and honour.   The Prime Minister said she left no stone unturned to ensure continuation of the country's development in the days to come as she is growing older day by day and might die anytime.    "It is a matter of surprise that I am still alive despite several attempts on my life such as hurling grenades and bombs and firing bullets. Despite the attacks, Allah still keeps me alive as the almighty wants me to do a work," she continued.   Sheikh Hasina, also President of the Awami League, thanked her party leaders and workers for protecting her from the attacks sacrificing their lives.    Cumilla City Awami League President AKM Bahauddin Bahar, MP, gave the welcome address.   Local Government, Rural Development and Co- operatives Minister Md Tazul Islam and AL Organising Secretary Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan, among others, were present at the Cumilla City AL office end.   The inaugural programme started with the playing of the national anthem.   A video documentary about inauguration of the Cumilla AL office was screened on the occasion.  Source: BSS AH

A new world has begun through the corona. Every person living in society from a different religion, caste, creed, and gender. They help each other from their respective places. The ethnic division could not stand in the way. Through this, a new chapter of religious and social harmony has begun. Maulana Mazharul Islam, Khatib of the historic Khwaja Amber Shah Jame Mosque in the capital, made such remarks during a discussion on Diversity Talks on Friday night.  He was speaking at the Diversity Talks, which is jointly organized by the Institute for Environment and Development (IED) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Maulana Mazharul Islam, who contributed to humanitarian aid in the time of the pandemic, six other guests also took part in the discussion titled 'Bangladesh of Harmony' hosted by journalist Munni Saha.  They are Gyan Prakashananda Maharaj, principal of Jessore Ramakrishna Mission, Anitya Mankhin, an indigenous researcher, Nishi Sarkar, a transgender activist from Sherpur, Shila Goala, a tea worker who won the Jayeeta Award, Hasan Ali, ageing activist, and Nur Nahyan, president of Bangladesh Wheelchair Sports Foundation.

The internationally-acclaimed New York City based dance troupe Battery Dance Company presented its Dhaka debut titled ‘Dancing for Peace and Tolerance’ at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital on Saturday evening. ‘Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind’- Mahatma Ghandi’s desire to secure a culture of peace, tolerance and nonviolence reflected through the performance. The event was supported by the US Embassy Dhaka, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Through the 90-minute performance, the audience witnessed a celebration of peace between dancers of different cultures and colors, backgrounds and beliefs – emblematic of harmony through diversity. The evening began with a performance titled ‘Shakti’ under the artistic direction of Jonathan Hollander and it was performed by the artistes of Battery Dance Company,  namely Robin Cantrell, Mira Cook, Clement Mensah, Bethany Mitchell, Sean Scantelbury and Unnath Hassan Rathnaraju (guest dancer). Battery Dance Company’s other performance included ‘Observatory’, ‘Terra and Astra’ and ‘People Get Ready’. To make the program a bilateral between USA and Bangladesh, Shadhona Cultural Circle, one of the most prominent cultural organizations in Bangladesh as well in the sub-continent, was included in the event. Artistes of Shadhona Dance Company, under the artistic direction of Lubna Marium, presented a performance titled ‘Ultraviolet’. The program concluded with the performance titled ‘People Get Ready’ performed by the artistes of Battery Dance Company-- Robin Cantrell & Sean Scantlebury. It was choreographed by Jonathan Hollander. Young talented singer Shwapnil Shojib from Bangladesh joined the troupe as a guest appearance who sang the impression ‘People get ready, There's a train a-coming’, originally sung by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Curtis Mayfield. Attending the program, US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat delivered speech before the dance troupe took the stage. Battery Dance’s Executive Director Jonathan Hollander, who is also the founder of the troupe, said about performing in Dhaka, ‘Battery Dance is honored to join with the people of Bangladesh in dancing to promote peace and tolerance. Dance creates the relationship between the people. We don’t have any cover on the stage. If it’s possible to remove this cover in the field of relationship in between the countries, then there will be no complexity and conflict. We want to spread this message through the rhythms of dance.’ To note, Battery Dance Company from New York City connects the world through dance. For the past 42 years Battery Dance Company has performed on world tours while simultaneously collaborating with local artists teaching master classes, engaging in lectures and technical training and conducting its signature arts education program Dancing to Connect in over 62 countries worldwide.   Battery Dance’s history of reaching diverse international audiences has earned the organization a reputation of being a leader in cultural diplomacy.  Source: The Independent.