‘No religion supports killing’

Bangladesh has reaffirmed its commitment to show respect for everyone’s religious and cultural sensitivity, conveying to the France government that no religion supports killings.

“It’s our long-standing policy to have respect for each other,” said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday, adding that he wrote a letter to his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.

“Everyone has sensitivity. We’re very aware of it,” said the minister.

He said they do not interrupt anyone’s freedom of opinion and expression as Bangladesh believes in freedom.

Momen, however, said there is an obligation with freedom and Bangladesh does not instigate anything negative.

The minister also said religion and business should not be mixed up.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh urged all sides to exercise the freedom of expression responsibly and not to hurt anybody’s religious sentiment in the name of freedom of expression.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen encouraged all to have patience instead of mixing up religious issues with economic issues.

He said Bangladesh does not support violence in the name of religion.

Three people died in a knife attack recently at a church in Nice, in what French President Emmanuel Macron said was an “Islamist terrorist attack”.

He said France would not surrender its core values after visiting the Notre-Dame basilica in the southern city.

In Nice, one elderly victim was “virtually beheaded”, officials said.

Another woman and a man also died.

Bangladesh also condemned the attack on innocent people and expressed heartfelt condolence and deep sympathy to the members of the bereaved families.