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Leaders from various religious communities on Thursday called for maintaining religious harmony and national unity, to save the interest, sovereignty and existence of the nation amid propaganda against Bangladesh over religious minority issues.

They also extended their support to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for maintaining religious harmony and resisting conspiracies against the country.

Leaders from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities gave the call from a dialogue with the chief adviser held at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka city amid ongoing anti-Bangladesh propaganda in the Indian media regarding Hindu minority issues.

The religious leaders also urged the government to take immediate measures in cases of incidents breaching safety of the minority communities to ensure communal harmony and a Bangladesh where the people across religious beliefs could live free from fear.

At the meeting, the religions leaders also proposed to hold a world peace and harmony rally in the capital, bringing together people of all religions and communities.

Referring to his earlier speech, the chief adviser at the meeting said, ‘We all are a family despite having differences of opinions. We are not enemies to each other. We all are Bangladeshis.’

Saying that there existed no division among Bangladeshis when it came to national interest, Yunus said that his government envisioned a ‘new Bangladesh’ where everyone would be able to access accurate information.

He sought cooperation from the religious leaders in collecting accurate information if any attack on minorities took place anywhere.

Saying that the news of attacks on minority once again came on the foreign media, the chief adviser mentioned that a stark gap existed between the foreign media news and the ground reality.

‘We want to know the accurate information and want to establish the process of getting the information, he added.

If any incident of attack on minorities takes place in the country, information must be collected immediately and the perpetrators must be brought to justice, he added.

The chief adviser stressed taking measures to create an environment to prevent such incidents and ensuring immediate remedy for victims.

After the meeting, an adviser to the interim government Mahfuz Alam told journalists that the government would work proactively to prevent any conspiracy at any cost.

‘The government will not shelter or patronise rash activities. Rather, we will move towards creating a national unity,’ he said.

He said that in the existing situation, the chief adviser would again hold a large-scale dialogue with the country’s student organisations.

Mahfuz said, ‘we should have people of all parties, views, paths and religions stand on a strong political platform and make Bangladesh stand on the world stage. So, we have sought the support of the religious leaders.’

‘They have lent their unwavering support. We hope that the pace at which Bangladesh is moving and national unity is being forged, the nation will go far in the future,’ he added.

He urged the media to present accurate information on communal issues.

Regarding propaganda by the Indian media, he said ‘Propaganda is a threat to the friendship of the two countries. We hope they will be convinced.’

After the meeting, As sunnah Foundation chairman Mufti Ahmed Ullah said, ‘We are united and will remain united. We, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, all want to take this country forward.’

‘We have no religious differences. We have tried to give the message that the world and the people of the country should not get confused by the propaganda that is trying to sow division amongst us,’ he said.

‘After the murder of lawyer Alif, Muslims all over Bangladesh have shown great restraint. We have all spoken so that we do not listen to any propaganda and we are all united,’ Mahfuz stated.

Father Albert Rosario of St Mary’s Cathedral in Ramna said, ‘We are going through a sensitive time right now. Our main thing at this time is to remain united.’

He said, ‘We have to heal the wounds that have been created in the minds of people in the wake of the ISKCON incident. Many of those who are suffering and who have been angered by this incident have not come today. I have been saying that the chief adviser should sit with them.’

‘I have also said that we should organise such an event so that people all over the world know that the people of Bangladesh are in communal harmony, they live together, they walk together,’ he said.

‘The people of the country have shown a lot of patience in the incident of the death of our lawyer. Even then, some Indian media have broadcast provocative news that does not match the reality. Our harmony has been repeatedly disrupted.’

‘We have also emphasised that if the law allows for the bail of our ISKCON brother who is arrested and in jail, his bail should be considered,’ he said.

Bangladesh Buddhist Federation general secretary Bhikkhu Sunanda Priya said, ‘We have said that communal harmony should be maintained in the country. We should be able to live in harmony.’

Ramna Harichand Temple assistant secretary Avinash Mitra said, ‘Those of us who are in Bangladesh there is no division among us. But where is the division? Those who are creating division are spreading propaganda by sitting abroad.’

‘We do not want them to get any personal gains. This is Bangladesh. We are all equally united here,’ he added.

Garo priest Johnson Murry Thamal said, ‘We are united, we will resist those who are spreading propaganda in the media. We will cooperate with this government.’