Bangladesh monastery a beacon of harmony after unrest

AFP English

The Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery, a beacon of interfaith harmony in a time of religious tensions, opens its doors to the needy during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. It provides free meals for hundreds of the capital's poorest residents to break their fast each evening. Its work resonates in an environment of political upheaval marked by the ouster of autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina last summer, which left religious minorities fearful of persecution in the Muslim-majority nation.

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00:25We had a friend from Bihar, Mr. Sudhananda Mahathiro.

00:30He once saw that when it was time for iftar,

00:34the poor people around us, those who sell fruits,

00:39or those who are busy, they don't know where they will do iftar.

00:43So, many times, when they go to collect iftar from different houses,

00:46they get bored.

00:47Then he thought that we can make them eat iftar in the evening.

00:55In Bihar, iftar is celebrated in the evening.

01:08We don't have time for iftar.

01:10That's why we do iftar every day.

01:14We eat, we are happy.

01:25What is Buddhism to you?

01:29Buddhism is basically a humanistic religion.

01:33Here, everyone is concerned about religion.

01:40You will hear, after the prayer,

01:43that all the seven are happy.

01:48In other words, not just humans,

01:53all beings are happy.

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