Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the country.
She opened the model mosques joining virtually from Ganabhaban in Dhaka, reports BSS.
With opening those in the second phase, the premier so far inaugurated 100 mosques out of 564 being built at a cost of Tk 94.35 billion across the country. She earlier opened 50 mosques in the first phase on June 10 in 2021.
Sheikh Hasina is expected to open 50 more mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the third phase at the end of February next. The construction of the remaining mosques and Islamic cultural centre is scheduled to be completed in June 2024.
In her speech during the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said people would get true knowledge of Islamic values and culture from the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres which help them not to be misled in the name of religion.
"We have taken the projects of constructing model mosques as none can mislead people in the name of Islam alongside creating awareness on the Islamic values," she said.
The prime minister described Islam as a religion of peace, brotherhood and friendship and said the model mosques would increase the knowledge of the people about Islam.
It would also help stop terrorism, militancy and torture of women by providing the people with true knowledge of Islamic values and cultures, she added.
Describing the Alem and Olama (Islamic scholars) as the "Orasatul Ambia", she said the people of the country will respect the Khatibs and Imams of the mosques, adding: "Make sure none can mislead the people using our religion."
"You can make aware people of refraining from getting involved in irregularities including drug addiction, child marriage, repression of women, food adulteration and corruption by your daily sermons and Jummah's khutba," she said.
The prime minister also called upon the Islamic scholars to spread proper humanitarian values among the people and help them stay away from terrorism, militancy and drug addiction as these are destroying families and society as well.
Sheikh Hasina urged all particularly the children not to get involved in militancy, saying, "Militancy is dishonouring Islam."
The premier said the guardians and teachers of the educational institutions will have to be cautious as their children cannot get involved in militancy.
"We can build our society beautifully by erasing ill-education, differences, conflicts, terrorism, and militancy through realising the true sense of Islam," she said.
The prime minister said Islam ensures the free exercise of religion by people of every faith.
"We all irrespective of party and opinion can build a developed, prosperous and "Smart Bangladesh" having equal respect to every religion and with the non-communal spirit," she added.
Referring to a speech, she said religion cannot be used as a political weapon.
"Our target is to put an end to torture and repression of the people using the religion," she added.
The prime minister mentioned the Awami League is always a servant of Islam and said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stopped playing race, gambling and taking liquor alongside establishing the madrasah board, giving places for Baitul Mukarram Mosque and Ijtema ground to serve the Islam.
"Bangabandhu had taken initiatives to hold Biswa Ijtema in Bangladesh and made Bangladesh as a member of the OIC," she said.
Following the ideal of the Father of the Nation, she said they have taken various programmes to dignify Islam that included the construction of 564 model mosques at each of the upazilas and districts.
