Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said no other country in the history of the world matches Bangladesh in communal harmony, describing peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths as a source of national pride.
“By the grace of Almighty Allah, there is no second country in the history of the world like Bangladesh in terms of communal harmony. This is our pride,” he told journalists while visiting several Durga Puja mandaps in Sylhet last night (19 October).
The minister said celebrating festivals peacefully was a birthright of people of all religions in Bangladesh.
He said disturbances had occurred only when vested interest groups attempted sabotage to serve their political interests, adding that such attempts were responsible for disrupting communal peace.
Earlier in the afternoon, Muktadir spoke to journalists after a reception for national-level winners of the New Buds Sports-2026 programme in Sylhet.
He said the government expected Bangladesh’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category to be postponed by three years.
He expressed hope that a resolution on the proposed extension would be adopted by the United Nations General Assembly this month.
The minister said the government had set an ambitious target of finalising a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union before Bangladesh graduates from the LDC category, despite the expected delay.
He said the government was working on the proposed FTA with the EU and taking steps to conclude a trade agreement with North Korea soon.
Muktadir said the three-year postponement of LDC graduation would be completed in three phases. He expressed hope that the EU trade deal would be finalised before graduation, allowing Bangladeshi export products to enter the global market duty-free.
Such agreements would help increase investment and boost exports of locally manufactured goods, he added.
Speaking as the chief guest at the sports programme, the minister said the government had launched the New Buds initiative after taking office as part of its election pledges.
It had also announced plans to build one playground for every three wards, he said, expressing hope that the programme would be successfully implemented in Sylhet as well.
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