At least 50 out of a total of 560 ‘Model Mosques’, which are being built with government finance across the country, are ready to be inaugurated for prayers.
Officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to inaugurate those 50 ‘Model Mosques’ virtually tomorrow (June 10).
According to ministry sources, the mosques are being constructed in each district and upazila under a project titled 'Establishment of Model Mosques and Islamic Cultural Centers'. In the first phase, construction work of 50 ‘Model Mosques’ has already been completed.
Those 50 ‘Model Mosques’ going to be inaugurated are the a ‘Model Mosque’ at Savar Upazila in Dhaka, one at Madhukhali Upazila in Faridpur, two at Pakundia and Kuliarchar Upazilas in Kishoreganj, one at Shibalaya Upazila in Manikganj, one at Sadar Upazila in Rajbari, two at Sadar and Gosairhat Upazilas in Shariatpur, three at Sariakandi Upazila, Sadar Upazila and Kahalu in Bogra district, two at Sapahar and Porsha upazilas in Naogaon district two at Sirajganj district, one at Chatmohor in Pabna district, two at Khansama and Birle upazilas of Dinajpur, one at Patgram of Lalmonirhat, two at Debiganj and Upazila Sadar of Panchagarh district, one at District Sadar of Rangpur, five at Mithapukur, Upazila Sadar, Pirganj, Badarganj, Haripur of Thakurgaon district, one at Subarnachar of Noakhali, two at Gafargaon and Tarakand of Mymensingh district. Two at Islampur and Upazila Sadar of Jamalpur district, two at Nabinagar and Bijaynagar of Brahmanbaria district, one at South Surma of Bhola district, one at Daudkandi of Cumilla, one at Panchhari of Khagrachhari, one at Upazila Sadar of Kushtia, one at District Sadar of Khulna, one at Rajapur of Jhalakathi and and one at Chuadanga district Sadar.
According to officials concerned, the government is setting up these model mosques so that they could serve as centres of excellence for Islamic knowledge, research and values as gifts for the people in Mujib Borsho.
Some 170 model mosques-cum-Islamic cultural centres out of the proposed 560 will be inaugurated in the Mujib Borsho--birth centenary celebration of Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The construction work of the rest of the mosques is going on in full swing.
The main objectives of the model mosque project include spreading Islamic fraternity, real Islamic values and practices, creating strong Islamic infrastructures for prayers of both men and women, providing religious teaching and trainings, enhancing public awareness against social diseases including terrorism and violence against women. The total estimated cost of the (1st revised) project is Tk 8,722 crore.