He made the statement during an event in Dhaka on Sunday following the recent murders of two foreigners in the country, which were claimed by the radical group Islamic State. The president was speaking at the opening of the 44th national council of Bangladesh Scouts and encouraged the scouts to instill patriotism and awareness of Bangladesh's tradition of communal harmony in young people. He emphasized the importance of rejecting zealotry, fundamentalism, extremism, and militancy in the country. The chief scout, Hamid, praised the organisation's efforts in responding to natural disasters and urged them to educate the public about maintaining ecological balance to address the effects of climate change. He also called for a social movement against drug addiction. The president presented awards to nine scouts with the Silver Tiger, 17 scouts with the Silver Hilsa, two scouts with the President's Rover Scout, and 122 scouts with the President's Scout. The event was led by Bangladesh Scouts President Abul Kalam Azad, who is also the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office. Home Secretary Md Mozammel Haque Khan, the organization’s chief national commissioner, also addressed the gathering.