Bangladesh is secular, not moderate Muslim country: FM
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni today said Bangladesh is not a moderate Muslim country as dubbed by foreigners but a secular country with a majority population of Muslims.
"The Awami League-led alliance did not believe in the idea of moderate democratic Muslim country," the minister told reporters after a seminar at Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in Gulshan.
She said Bangladesh is a non-communal country where majority of the people belong to Islam.
"We achieved our independence through an armed revolution with a dream to establish a non-communal country," Dipu Moni added.
The minister said many countries were termed with different labels but it is not necessary to take other's indication when it contradicts the fundamental values, she said.
"So the concept of moderate Muslim democratic country is not applicable here," the foreign minister added.
On brining home the war criminals living abroad, she said, "The ministry must take initiatives to bring home the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and war criminals both."
She said the government would sign agreements with the countries if necessary on the matter.
The government would also seek evidence of war crime from some countries.
Asked about the extra-judicial killings in the name of 'crossfire,' Dipu Moni said the government would look into the matter.
The issue came forth following the death of listed criminal Nasir in a 'shootout' with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Keraniganj yesterday.
Bangladesh is secular, not moderate Muslim country: FM
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