Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon all to be vocal against vested quarters who want to disrupt peace in the country.
She was addressing a function organised at Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery in the capital's Kamalapur marking International Peace Conference and Kathin Chibor Dan.
People of all faiths are able to practice their religions freely and peacefully in the country. Some vested quarters never believed in the country's independence and did not want the socio-economic development of its people, alleged Hasina.
She said the rise of militancy and terrorism harmed peace in the country earlier, but the present government restored peace and ensured security and human rights of the people.
Hasina expressed her firm resolve to turn Bangladesh into a hunger- and poverty-free, happy, prosperous and peaceful country by 2021.
She said the country's people recently celebrated Eid-ul-Azha, Durga Puja and Probarana Purnima with due religious fervour and festivity.
The government took steps to preserve the country's Buddhist temples and monasteries so that monks could contribute to society and in nation-building alongside spreading the message of Gautama Buddha, said Hasina.
She said the renovation of Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery, Merul Badda Buddhist Temple and Chittagong Buddhist Temple was undertaken while land was allocated for another Buddhist temple in Uttara.
Hasina handed over Sanghanayaka Suddhananda Mahathero the deed for a piece of land adjoining Dharmarajika Buddhist Temple, assuring that the temple's auditorium would be constructed soon.
Presided over by top Buddhist religious leader Sangharaja Dr Dharmasen Mohasthabir, the function was also addressed by Industries Minister Dilip Barua, local MP Saber Hossain Chowdhury, and the representatives from Buddhist associations of China, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand, among others.
The World Fellowship of Buddhist conferred the prime minister with a peace award. Phallop Thaiarry, secretary general of the platform, handed over the award to the premier.
Hasina handed over Bangladesh Buddha Kristi Prachar Sangha awards to three eminent personalities for their contributions in humanitarian activities. The awardees are Lin A Sun, chairman of Mongla Bihar of Singapore; and Chittaranjan Das and Lion MK Bashar of Bangladesh.