Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged Muslim devotees to say their Tarabi prayers at their respective homes instead of mosques during the upcoming month of holy Ramadan, reports UNB.
“Since the Tarabi prayers won’t be held at mosques in Saudi Arabia and other countries, the Islamic Foundation in our country has issued a set of directives. Say your Tarabi prayers following the directives,” she said. The Prime Minister made the call while talking to government officials and public representatives of nine districts under Dhaka division through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban.
The nine districts are Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi, Faridpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Gopalganj. The Prime Minister said protective measures have been taken everywhere – mosques, temples, tombs and even Vatican City – at this pandemic time. Even Saudi Arabia has restricted prayers at mosques and asked to say Tarabi prayers at home. “There’s a lesson for us in it to learn,” she added.
The Prime Minister said if any Covid-19 infected person goes to a mosque, he’ll transmit it to another. “Please, don’t do so. All should be mindful and follow the advice…we want all to do so.” ‘Provide relief materials to right people’ Reiterating her warning that any irregularity and corruption in the relief distribution will not be tolerated, the PM also asked her party leaders and activists as well as public representatives to provide relief materials to the right people enlisting the needy ones irrespective of their political affiliations across the country.
“Don’t consider who my voters are or who aren’t. The general people who’re in trouble have to be enlisted. Bangladesh Awami League works for people. It doesn’t need to consider who belongs to which party,” she said. Another 50 lakh to get ration cards Sheikh Hasina said another 50 lakh people will be enlisted to provide them with ration cards so that they could get rice at a subsidised rate of Tk 10 per kg.
“Now, 50 lakh people have ration cards to receive rice at Tk 10 per kg. We’ve decided to prepare ration cards for another 50 lakh people,” she said adding that the government provides assistance to the people of all classes and professions. Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, asked her party leaders and activists to form separate relief distribution committees at every ward, union, upazila and district levels to assist the administration to take the relief to the needy people.
“Our administration and police are there to enlist names. You’ll prepare the lists and assist them (administration and police) so that no-one is left out and the relief and assistance reach the right people,” she said. Hasina also directed local administrations to engage local people for reaching the relief and other assistance to the right people during the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the function, while Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam and other high officials were present. PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the function, while Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam and other high officials were present.
