No plan to change Bangladesh national anthem: Religious Advisor

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh interim government. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

There is no plan to change the national anthem of Bangladesh, the country’s Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hossain said on Saturday (September 7, 2024).

“The interim government will not do anything to create controversy,” Mr. Hossain told the media after visiting the Islamic Foundation in Rajshahi and attending a gathering of dignitaries.

This comes after Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, the son of former Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Azam, earlier this week called for a change in the country’s national anthem and Constitution.

He said: “I leave the matter of the national anthem to this government. The current national anthem we have is contrary to the existence of our independent Bangladesh. It reflects the time of the Bengal partition and the merging of the two Bengals. How can an anthem created to unite the two Bengals become the national anthem of an independent Bangladesh? This anthem was imposed on us by India in 1971. Many songs could serve as a national anthem. The government should form a new commission to select a new national anthem.”

Mr. Hossain said Bangladesh, as a neighbouring country, wants a friendly relationship with India.

“We have heard reports of attacks on our cricket team in India. Since the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in charge, they will decide on the necessary course of action,” Dhaka Tribune quoted the advisor as saying.

Terming attacks on mosques, temples, and shrines as “heinous”, Mr. Hossain said: “Those who attack places of worship are enemies of humanity. They are criminals, and they will be prosecuted under existing laws.”

Mr. Hossain further said local citizens as well as madrasa students will guard temples during the Durga Puja to prevent any attack or sabotage.

“Madrasa students were never involved in terrorism. That was propaganda and conspiracy by the previous government.”

The advisor said that after the change in government, there had been attacks on the houses of some members of the Hindu community just as Muslim houses were attacked and this should not be viewed differently.