Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called on people of all faiths to work together to build Bangladesh, saying citizenship and shared humanity should come before religious identity.

He spoke on Monday evening at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka, where he greeted members of the Hindu community on Durga Puja. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain accompanied him, according to his assistant press secretary KM Nazmul Haque.

"This country belongs to you, and this country belongs to me. Let us all work together, shoulder to shoulder, to build the country," he said.

He said religion may differ but the state belongs to everyone, and that the government is responsible for ensuring the security of every citizen. "In Bangladesh, you have rights just as I do, and you have duties towards the country just as I do," he said.

Earlier in the day, he inaugurated the July Martyrs Memorial at Osmani Udyan. He said people from different religious communities were among those honoured there, and recalled that Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians fought together in 1971 and in later movements, including the 2024 uprising.

He extended greetings to the Hindu community for Durga Puja and described the festival as a celebration of joy and togetherness.