Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena on Monday said Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists living here are all Bengalees.
The Ambassador said everyone needs to work together to build Sonar Bangla.
He described it nice that the people irrespective of caste, creed and religion are living here together peacefully. He, however, said the bomb attack on Gopalganj Baniarchar Catholic Church on June 3, 2001 was an undesirable incident. On that day, 10 people were killed and many others injured.
“I have come here to pay my respect to those who died in the bomb attack,” Mozena said.
The US Ambassador was speaking as the chief guest at an opinion-sharing meeting at Baniarchar Catholic Church auditorium in Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj.
The meeting was presided over by Father of the church Mrittunjay Dafadar. Among others, ambassador Mozena’s spouse Mrs Grace Mozena, USAID official Cargon Knight Win, local Christian community leader Adhir Saha, Rakim Bairagi and Jakob Boiddyo, spoke on the occasion.
On his arrival here, Mozena was received by Mrittunjoy Dafadar. The US envoy spent about two hours in the church.
Later, the ambassador went to the graveyard where the victims of the bomb incident were buried. He paid tributes to them and observed one minute silence. Mozena took part in a prayer for the peace of their souls.
After paying tribute, the US ambassador talked to the victim’s family members.
Mozena attended a ceremony of the Christian community in Baniarchar area. The children of the Christian community joined a cultural programme.
Source: Prothom Alo