Share heritage to fight extremism: PM

Dhaka, May 9 (sunnews24.com) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called on the people of all cultures to share their heritage to fight terrorism and fundamentalism and establish world peace and stability.
She made the call during the inauguration of the Cultural Diversity Ministerial Forum of the Asia-Pacific Region in Dhaka.
"Let us share each other's culture and heritage …to overcome the fearsome forces of terrorism, extremism and the other challenges of our globalised world," she said.
Saying that language was the most powerful medium for expressing cultural diversity, Hasina said, "We are very proud that our nationalism originated largely from our language-based cultural heritage."
The Prime Minister described to foreign guests how the nation sacrificed in 1952 for their mother tongue which subsequently led to the emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign state.
She expressed her gratitude to the UNESCO for declaring Feb 21 as the International Mother Language Day. "The day is now celebrated worldwide to honour and protect all mother tongues."
Hasina said the constitution of Bangladesh ensures protection and promotion of diversity of cultural expressions.
The government of Bangladesh is committed to identify, safeguard and utilise cultural activities, traditional or modern, for aesthetic or economic benefit of the people as per the constitution" she said.

The prime minister said Bangladesh already ratified in the UNESCO international convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and urged other countries to sign the convention.
Hasina said the government had conducted a survey of the traditional cultural expressions and found items as Jamdani, Nakshikantha, Tangail Sari, Muslin silk, Baul and mystic songs and others "contributing significantly to the country's economic development".
She hoped most developing countries will benefit in the same way through a survey.
Hasina thanked the UNESCO director general Irina Bokova for holding the programme in Bangladesh.
Representatives of 32 countries of the Asia-Pacific region took part in the forum organised jointly by the Cultural Ministry and UNESCO.
The programme, being held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, will conclude on May 11 through the 'Dhaka Declaration'. Six seminars will take place on preserving and developing cultural diversity in the Asia-Pacific region.