The speakers echoed the necessity of following proper religious teachings in everyday life for preventing intolerant behavior, hate speech, and the spread of misinformation on social media
With the advent of modern technology and social media, we are experiencing an era of intolerance. More often than not, we tend to encounter intolerant situations on social media. Which is why we have to be patient, and maintain tolerance in order to make our society peaceful.
All of the panel members including Islamic religious leaders, writers, and personnel from law enforcement made similar remarks at a program yesterday. In order to commemorate ”The International Day for Tolerance,” Move Foundation organized a participatory dialogue titled, “Information in Social Media: Role of Religious Leaders” at Ascott Palace in Baridhara, Dhaka.
Saiful Haque, president of Move Foundation opened the dialogue with a discussion on information management on social media.
The speakers echoed the necessity of following proper religious teachings in everyday life for preventing intolerant behavior, hate speech, and the spread of misinformation on social media. The discussants opined that the religious leaders can play the most important role in forestalling extreme reactions, and violence in sensitive issues. Panelists also recommended the inclusion of citizenship education, and media literacy in the curriculum for learning information management.
ABM Rashedul Hasan, vice-chancellor of Exim Bank Agricultural University and the advisor for the MOVE foundation said: “The Prophet Muhammad (sm.) directs us to show our sympathy to other religions. Every religion provides similar directives to its followers. Religious leaders must come forward to spread knowledge, and make people more aware of the notion.
SM Nazmul Huq, additional deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police said: “We tend to prioritize choices of random people, and not that of our family members.”
“Spreading rumors is an organized crime that is not simple. Children need to learn the use of smartphones, and social media from their family in order to become internet literate. Otherwise, they are likely to fail in ensuring the safe use of the Internet,” he added.
Nazmul also discussed different sections of the Digital Security Act for the audience.
Waliur Rahman Khan, Muhaddis, Research Division of Islamic Foundation said: “Our Prophet urged not to use slang to describe someone else’s faith. If they do, that translates to using a slang for their own God. Islam achieved victory by greatness not by the sword.”
Mizanur Rahman, Senior Pesh Imam of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Major General (Retd) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Chairman of Bangladesh Kallyan Party, and Goutam Das, Human Rights activist also attended the dialogue among other religious thinkers, minority community leaders, and Islamic clerics.
To see the report: Dhaka Tribune
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