President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has stressed that all citizens have equal rights in the state regardless of their religious identity, saying these rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and must be protected.

“Religion is individual, the state belongs to all,” he said while addressing an exchange-of-views meeting after visiting Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital on Saturday afternoon on the occasion of Durga Puja.

Referring to the familiar slogan, “Religion is individual, festivals are for all,” the president said the principle should be extended to affirm that the state belongs to everyone, irrespective of faith.

He urged citizens to remain vocal in defending their constitutional rights and ensuring that people of all religious communities enjoy equal status in the country.

Describing Bangladesh as a longstanding example of communal harmony, Mirza Fakhrul said people of different faiths had lived together in the region for generations.

Their shared heritage, he said, was reflected in the country’s literature, culture and arts.

The president warned against attempts by vested-interest groups to create divisions among communities for their own benefit.

He called on people to remain vigilant against efforts that could undermine the country’s longstanding tradition of religious coexistence.

Recalling the Liberation War of 1971, he said people from different religious backgrounds had fought shoulder to shoulder for independence and shared the vision of building a non-communal Bangladesh.

He reaffirmed the country’s commitment to that vision, saying the tradition of tolerance and mutual respect must be preserved.

The president also described Bangladeshis as generally moderate and opposed to extremism, urging everyone to uphold that tradition.

He expressed concern over attempts to damage communal harmony and said people from different communities had demonstrated that they could practise their respective religions peacefully.

Mirza Fakhrul said Bangladesh was undergoing a transition from an undemocratic situation towards building a democratic state.

He urged everyone to exercise patience and work together to advance the process.

He also expressed hope that Durga Puja would be celebrated peacefully and securely and assured members of the Hindu community of appropriate cooperation in addressing their demands.

Extending his greetings to the Hindu community on the occasion, the president visited the temple’s puja mandap and watched a cultural programme before attending the meeting.

Among those present were Bijon Kanti Sarkar, the prime minister’s special assistant for Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and ethnic minority affairs, as well as leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee.