Utfal Barua
The concluding session of the International Workshop on Multifaith Dialogue (IWMD-2025) concluded on Tuesday. The two-day workshop was held at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban auditorium of Dhaka University. News Bapsnews. Advisor to the Ministry of Religious Affairs Dr. A.F.M. Khalid Hossain was the chief guest at the concluding session.
He said, "Just as fragrant flowers of different colors in a garden enhance the beauty of a garden, the beauty of people of different races, religions, and colors in a country enhances it. The current government is committed to ensuring the civil rights of every person in the country. We are working to ensure all human rights, including political rights, the right to express one's opinion, and the practice of one's own religion."
The MFNN Dhaka Summit Declaration emphasizes the importance of multi-faith harmony for a prosperous, inclusive and democratic Bangladesh. The participants and representatives of the Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic religions of Bangladesh came together to recognize that followers of all religions are one human race, the best creation of the Almighty. The power of unity among them is universal. Therefore, it is our responsibility to care for the well-being of all people and animals on this planet.
In the closing session, the speakers said that there has never been any discrimination on the basis of religious identity in this country, and there still is. The incidents of violence are not due to religious reasons, nor is there discrimination in civil rights and privileges based on religion. In fact, violence caused by political or other interests is portrayed as violence due to religious reasons. The incidents of violence are not based on purely political, inter-religious conflict.
The closing session was attended by the special guest, Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed. BIIT Director General Professor Dr. M Abdul Aziz delivered the welcome speech. During this time, Co-Founder of Multi-Faith Neighbors Network Dr. Bob Roberts Jr., Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Chairman Imam Mohammad Majid, IRF Secretariat President Nadine Mayenza, Institute of Global Engagement Senior Vice President James Chen, Islamic University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Naqib Muhammad Nasrullah, Global Muslim Affairs Senior Advisor Syed Muktadir, Dhaka University Professor Dr. Mohammad Elias, DU Department of World Religions and Cultures Chairman Professor Dr. Abu Sayem, Professor Dr. Anisuzzaman, Professor Dr. Sukomal Barua, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, Advocate Mujibur Rahman, and more than a hundred religious leaders from Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim communities, along with media journalists, were present.
It is worth noting that the conference was held on February 11 and 12 in collaboration with the Washington-based Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN) and the Center for Inter-Religious and Inter-Cultural Dialogue (CIID) of Dhaka University, Bangladesh Institute of Islamic Thought (BIIT) and the American Institute of Integrated Thought (AIIT). The workshop was inaugurated by Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan on Monday. Bapsnews.
