Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged to build a peaceful country for people of all religions.
He said, “Today, we are people of all religions sitting together. We are in one row. This is our traditional Bangladesh of the present time. No one should be able to create division and conflict between us. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists or Christians, believers or non-believers or skeptics, we will all live well together.”
The Prime Minister said this at the inauguration ceremony of the program to give honorarium to Imams, Muazzins, Khadems, Priests, Sebayet, Bihar, Principals and Vice Principals at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital at 11:15 am today, Saturday.
The program was inaugurated by handing over the honorarium check to Imam Hossain Ahmed Abdullah of Baitul Rahman Central Mosque in Bogra. Later, the honorarium money was sent to the designated bank account by pressing the ‘cent button’ in the IBUS system.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said, “A financial assistance program for Khatibs, Imams, Muazzins and religious leaders of other religions has been launched from today. This assistance will be provided to everyone in need across the country in phases. The government will try its best to ensure the financial and social security of every citizen, regardless of religion or caste.”
Highlighting some of the responsibilities of citizens, he said, “Citizens also have some responsibilities towards the state and society. If we as citizens properly fulfill our responsibilities towards the state and society from every position, I hope that in the next 10 years, we will be able to see a politically and economically self-reliant Bangladesh, God willing.”
The Prime Minister said, ‘The government has launched a program to provide honorarium to respected leaders of various religions, Khatibs, Imams, and Muazzins. Under this program, a total of 4,908 mosques, 990 temples, and 144 Buddhist monasteries are receiving monthly honorarium under the pilot scheme in the first phase. Everyone will be included under this program in phases. The main objective of these economic programs of the government for people of different classes and professions is to make citizens financially self-reliant.’
Appealing to the people of the country, Tarique Rahman said, ‘If any of you want to involve yourself in various economic and social activities in addition to performing your duties in a mosque or any religious place of worship, the government is ready to support you in implementing that initiative. An Imam, Khatib, or religious representative will be included in the meeting of the law enforcement agencies of each district. ‘
The Prime Minister said that a state can never become strong by keeping its citizens weak, ‘By ensuring the political and economic empowerment of every citizen of the country, we want to establish our country on such a strong foundation that no evil force of fascism or subjugation can take away the freedom of the people. I repeat one thing again and again, a state can never become strong by keeping its citizens weak.’
Stating that the ‘Imam Training Academy’ was launched for the first time in the country during the government of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, the Prime Minister said that there are about three and a half lakh mosques in the country. We can turn these mosques across the country into the center of religious, social and moral education programs. The ‘Imam Training Academy’ was launched for the first time in the country during the government of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of independence.
She said, ‘In 1993, during the government of Begum Khaleda Zia, the ‘Mosque-Based Children and Mass Education’ program was launched in the country. The current government is also planning how to utilize your qualifications for national development in addition to providing a certain amount of honorarium to imams and muezzins.
Calling for being inspired by religious, social and moral values, the Prime Minister said, “An economically prosperous state may ensure financial comfort in people’s lives, but without acquiring patience, honesty, gratitude, respect, loyalty, solidarity, tolerance, generosity, friendship, humility, responsibility or kindness, a person cannot become a complete human being. To achieve such human qualities, it is important to be inspired by religious, social and moral values.”
“He who does not have trustworthiness, who does not have security, is not truly trustworthy. He who does not keep his promises, has no religion,” the Prime Minister said, citing the holy hadith, “A person gets his mental guidance for a pure life and healthy thinking from the behavior acquired from the state and society and the environment and surroundings.”
He said, “These liberal teachings of religion are unparalleled in building a safe society free from ‘revenge and violence’. I believe that every religion has such positive messages for the formation of a morally rich human society. Therefore, the role of people with religious knowledge like you is very important in creating a mentality rich in religious, social and moral values.
The Prime Minister said, in addition to the welfare of this world, the Holy Quran mentions praying for the welfare of the hereafter. The instructions regarding the welfare of this world and the hereafter are undoubtedly also given according to the religious rules of other religions. Therefore, it is important to continue thinking and trying to see how you can further utilize your education, training, qualifications and experience for the welfare of the country and the people in the light of religious rules.”
Source : BSS
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