The government has inaugurated 100 model mosques and Islamic cultural centers across the country, which many people are admiring and praising the government for building such amazing mosques.

Recently, two friends named Arafat and Wazed, working in a private company, went to see the Padma Bridge from Dhaka. By crossing the Padma Bridge along the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway, they saw Faridpur's Bhanga Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center on the side of the road. Two friends saw the beautiful mosque and stopped. Go around and see this amazing model mosque. They also took pictures there.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated this mosque in a video conference from Ganobhaban on January 16. On the same day, another model mosque and Islamic cultural center was inaugurated at Kushtia Sadar's Kutipara. There is no other such beautiful and beautiful mosque in that area.

Hafez Maulana Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman is in charge of Imam and Khatib of this mosque. Talking to Bangladesh Pratidin, he said, “I don't know that the government of any country has built such a beautiful mosque together. But Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina created it. This is a unique example in spreading Islam. Describing the merits of building a mosque in Bukhari Hadith, this Maulana said -Whoever builds a mosque for the pleasure of Allah, Allah Almighty will build a similar house for him in Paradise."

Not only Faridpur's Bhanga or Kushtia, 100 such beautiful model mosques have already been inaugurated across the country. Construction of another 464 is progressing rapidly. Another 50 model mosques will be inaugurated by the end of next February, a source of the Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Complex project said.

The construction of 450 mosques will be inaugurated by next June. Before this, no Muslim ruler or head of government had built so many mosques at once.

Those concerned said that not only in Bangladesh, but in the world it is seen as a unique and groundbreaking event. This is the first time in the Muslim world that the head of government of any country is building 564 mosques at once.

According to the election manifesto of Awami League, the present government is constructing a total of 564 model mosques and Islamic cultural centers in each district and upazila of the country to promote and spread Islam and make mosques a center of knowledge.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first 50 model mosques on June 10, 2021. In the second phase, she inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centers on January 16, 2022. This project was undertaken in 2017.

Bangladesh Islamic Foundation is implementing this project. At the time of undertaking the project, its estimated cost was Tk 9,624 crore and 90 per cent of this cost was supposed to come from Saudi Arabia as a grant. But after waiting for more than a year, that help did not come. Despite the lack of foreign aid, the government did not withdraw from this project.

Under the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the project was started with the government's own funds.

On 26 June 2018, the cost of the project was reduced by Tk 340 crore to Tk 8722 crore and the implementation period was extended from December 2019 to June 2021.

Due to delay in land acquisition, covid pandemic, increase in cost of construction materials, the cost of the project also increased. The new tenure of the project is till June 2024 and the total cost will be Tk 9435 crore.

Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Complex Project Director Engineer Md Nazibar Rahman told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Construction of 100 model mosques and Islamic cultural complexes have already been completed under this project. Another 50 model mosques will be inaugurated by the end of next February. I hope to be able to inaugurate a total of 450 mosques by the end of the current financial year.”

“This is not a traditional mosque. It is modeled on mosques and Islamic cultural centers in the Arab world. This mosque and cultural center has separate ablution and prayer facilities for women and men, library, research and religious dawa activities, Holy Quran Hefz and children education services, guest house, accommodation for foreign tourists, arrangements for body bathing, arrangements for registration and training of pilgrims, training centers for imams and accommodation for imams and muezzins, as well as offices for officials have been kept in the cultural center,” he said.

Md. Faridul Haque Khan, State Minister Ministry of Religious Affairs told Bangladesh Pratidin, “There are more than 3.5 lakh mosques in Bangladesh. Most of these mosques are being established and managed with the financial support of the local people. It is said that there are no beautiful mosques or Islamic buildings with modern facilities in the district and upazila level of Bangladesh.”

“In consideration of these, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the initiative to build one model mosque and Islamic cultural center in each district and upazila of the country in order to develop Islamic values and develop Islamic culture,” he said.

“In her 2014 election manifesto, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to build a model mosque and Islamic cultural center in each district and upazila to promote Islamic values and develop Islamic culture. As promised, this is the first time in the history of Bangladesh that a government is simultaneously constructing 564 model mosques and Islamic cultural centers with domestic funding,” he added.

Religious Affairs Secretary of Awami League Advocate Sirajul Mostafa told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the Islamic Foundation, provided mosques in Kakrail and Ijtema in Tongi for the Tabligh Jamaat. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken various initiatives to promote madrasa education. Qaumi granted madrasa charters, making independent Arabic universities for aliyah madrasas. 564 model mosques are being built across the country to spread Islamic culture. This is the first time in the world that a government has built such a large number of mosques at the same time, which is rare in the world. A unique precedent in the promotion and spread of Islam.”

The leading experts of the scholarly community say that the groundbreaking contribution of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his privileged daughter Sheikh Hasina with the title of 'Qaumi Janani' will forever be written in golden letters in the promotion and spread of Islam.

Her government recognized the Qaumi Madrasa. Millions of rupees have been donated to imams and muezzins of mosques during the Corona crisis. This is why the people of the country have placed a true Islam-loving leader and head of government in their hearts.

@The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on January 26 and rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan.