Last Updated on March 14, 2026 11:34 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday reiterated his commitment to building a peaceful and inclusive country, urging citizens not to allow divisions along religious lines. Speaking at a programme in Dhaka, Tarique said Bangladesh’s long tradition of communal harmony must be preserved.
“People of all faiths are sitting together today. This reflects our long-standing tradition. No one should be allowed to create divisions among us,” he said. “Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians will together build a peaceful Bangladesh. We want to ensure a safe state and a secure society for everyone,” the prime minister added.
Tarique was addressing an event at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium where the Ministry of Religious Affairs launched a pilot programme to provide monthly honorariums to religious leaders and caretakers of places of worship. Under the scheme, 4,908 mosques, 990 temples and 144 Buddhist monasteries have initially been included. A total of 16,992 religious leaders and caretakers will begin receiving monthly allowances under the programme, according to officials.
Tarique said the initiative aims to strengthen the financial security of religious workers and promote social harmony. He also recalled initiatives taken by previous BNP governments, noting that the Imam Training Academy was established during the presidency of his father Ziaur Rahman, while a mosque-based children’s and mass education programme was introduced during the tenure of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in 1993.
The prime minister said the current government plans to further strengthen the role of religious leaders in social development. As part of this initiative, the government has decided to include an imam, khatib or a religious leader from another faith as a member of law and order committees in every district and upazila.