Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to maintain secularism as Bangladesh's state policy, amid countrywide celebrations on Sunday to mark the Bengali New Year, seen by right-wing Islamists as "anti-Islamic" practice.
"Bangladesh will be a non-communal democratic country... Our country will be run in keeping with the spirit of the Madinah Charter of our beloved Prophet Mohammad" that charted out principles of religious harmony and co-existence, Hasina said in a statement on the eve of the Pahela Baishakh.
Her remarks assume significance in the wake of recent large-scale protests by Islamist parties led by Jamaat-e-Islami demanding reinstatement of "absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah" in the constitution and capital punishment for those who would denigrate Islam and its prophet.
Meanwhile, thousands of people turned out on the streets and parks to celebrate 'Pahela Baishakh' to welcome the Bengali New year 1420. Cultural and musical groups ushered in the first day of the new year with songs and other performances at city parks, besides a big 'mongol Shobhajatra' procession by fine art students and youngsters in the capital....
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09:00 AM, Apr 15, 2013
New Delhi: A new song 'Halki halki' from the film 'I Love NY' has been released. Directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, the film stars Sunny Deol and Kangana Ranaut in the lead roles. ...
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11:03 AM, Feb 26, 2013
National Award winning actor Sunny Deol, who is busy promoting his film 'I Love New Year', is contented with Indian audience. ...
03:43 PM, Feb 25, 2013
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12:50 PM, Feb 04, 2013
Prithviraj is soon to share screen with bollywood biggies Shahrukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan ...
04:33 PM, Jan 18, 2013
Sunny Deol and Kangna Ranaut will be seen together in a romantic comedy 'I Love New Year'. ...
10:41 AM, Jan 15, 2013
'I Love New Year', which features Sunny Deol and Kangna Ranaut as a couple for the first time, will hit the screens April 26. The romantic comedy, produced by T-Series, is co-directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. ...
03:12 PM, Jan 11, 2013
Sachin Tendulkar, who is holidaying in Mussoorie, wishes the Indian team and his fans a happy new year. ...
12:33 PM, Jan 02, 2013
A software engineer hailing from Tamil Nadu, who had come here for New Year celebrations, died in a private hospital on January 1 after being admitted in a badly injured condition. The unidentified techie, who had come with eight other friends from Coimbatore to celebrate New Year, was taken to Saint Johns Hospital after a security guard posted at a hotel noticed him lying on the road on December 31,...
04:47 PM, Jan 01, 2013
Good health, love, happiness and respect for women - Bollywood celebrities have wished all this and more to their fans and loved ones on the first day of 2013. ...
02:35 PM, Jan 01, 2013
Playboy boss Hugh Hefner wed his girlfriend Crystal Harris at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills here on New Year's Eve. ...
02:18 PM, Jan 01, 2013
Over 550 revellers were challaned for driving under the influence of alcohol in the capital as they rang in 2013. ...
11:47 AM, Jan 01, 2013
Even though his fans may have been dejected, Uttar Pradesh IPS officer Amitabh Thakur has defended his FIR against Punjabi rapper Honey Singh for offensive songs, saying that he should be punished for his obscene anti-women lyrics. The singer's New Year concert at a Gurgaon hotel was cancelled on Monday evening following online protests. ...
10:48 AM, Jan 01, 2013
Twenty four-year-old management student Annesha Ghosh has been in Mumbai for over two years. This year too, Annesha decided to usher in 2013 by celebrating in a popular pub in the city, but, with caution. CNN-IBN decided to follow her through the night to get a sense of how safe Mumbai was, especially after the police claimed to take all measures to ensure the safety of women in the aftermath...
10:23 AM, Jan 01, 2013
Dubai welcomed the New Year with fireworks around the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower. ...
09:52 AM, Jan 01, 2013
