Rangpur: Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain emphasized the necessity of communal harmony for achieving the country's desired development, stating that social stability and overall progress rely on it. Dr Khalid made these remarks as the chief guest at the Rangpur District Workshop-2025, organized as part of the 'Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Promoting Moral Education through Temple-Based Children and Mass Education Activities' project, held at the District Shilpakala Academy auditorium.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the workshop was organized by the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust under the Temple-Based Children and Mass Education Activities (6th Phase) project. Dr Khalid highlighted the importance of moving forward collectively on the path of development, cautioning that unrest and dissatisfaction could deter foreign investment.
He urged citizens to adopt open-mindedness and broaden their perspectives for the nation's welfare. Addressing issues of religious violence, Dr Khalid remarked that while insulting religion is punishable by law, taking the law into one's own hands and committing violent acts is an even greater offense. He condemned incidents where individuals bypass legal procedures, emphasizing the need for legal recourse and restraint against communalism's destructive tendencies.
Dr Khalid called for unity beyond religious differences, encouraging people to study their religious scriptures to enlighten their lives. The workshop was presided over by Mehedi Hasan, Deputy Director of the Local Government Department at the Deputy Commissioner's Office, with notable attendance from Vice-chairman of the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Shri Tapan Chandra Majumdar, Private Secretary to the Adviser Sadek Ahmed, Project Director Nitya Prakash Biswas, and others.
The project operates 7,400 temple-based education centers nationwide, including 149 in Rangpur, offering pre-primary and religious education to approximately 222,000 students annually.