Online Desk/

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged everyone to be vigilant so that no one can repeat the 2013-14 fire terror in the country in the name of agitation.

The Prime Minister said this while attending the inauguration ceremony of 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centers in 34 districts of eight divisions from his official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday. With this, the Prime Minister inaugurated 250 mosques in five phases out of 564 constructed at a cost of Tk 9,435 crore across the country. Khabar bus

Sheikh Hasina said on the occasion, “I urge everyone to be careful so that no one can harm Bangladesh by repeating the fire terrorism like in 2013-14.”

Referring to ‘BNP’s burning’ of several buses on Saturday, he said, ‘You know their character very well, they are terrorists. Yesterday also (Saturday) they set several buses on fire. In 2013-14 too, they burnt people alive by setting fire to moving buses, trains and launches.

The Prime Minister said that the people of the country saw their (BNP) terrible face yesterday, as they once again committed arson and terror. They (BNP) have done politics in the name of Islam, but they have no love for Islam. They have no contribution in the propagation and spread of Islam.

Sheikh Hasina said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started the work of spreading the true message of Islam throughout the country by establishing the Islamic Foundation and allocating a piece of land in Tongi for the Tabligh Jamaat.

He said Bangabandhu also earned international recognition for holding the second largest Muslim gathering in Tongi after Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Bangabandhu bought a Hizbul Bahar ship so that the countrymen could perform the holy Hajj in Saudi Arabia at a low cost.

The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh became a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 1974 with the sincere initiative of the Father of the Nation.

He said that his government is trying its best to spread the true spirit of Islam in the society by building 564 model mosques across the country. The government established Islamic Foundation offices in every district and developed the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

The prime minister asked clerics, imams and muezzins to preach about social threats in mosques during prayers, especially during Friday prayers, so that the youth can stay away from militancy, terrorism, drugs, corruption and other curses.

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘Alem-ulama should waj in such a way that the youth does not get involved in militancy, terrorism and drugs.’

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated 50 model mosques in the first phase on June 10, 2021, in the second phase on January 16, 2023, in the third phase on March 16 and in the fourth phase on April 17. The construction of the remaining mosques and the Islamic Cultural Center is scheduled to be completed by June 2024.

The Model Mosque and the Islamic Cultural Center have separate areas for ablution and prayers with air conditioning.

Besides, Hajj registration and training system, Imam training center, research center and Islamic library, autism corner, pre-burial ritual system, car parking facility, Heefzkhana, pre-primary education and Quran teaching system, Islamic cultural activities and conference room for Islamic dawat, The mosque will have boarding facilities for domestic and foreign guests along with an Islamic book selling centre.

About 69 four-storied mosques with lift facilities and 2,360.09 square meters each floor space are being constructed in 64 districts and city corporation areas under ‘A’ category. 475 mosques are being constructed under ‘B’ category with floor space of 1680.14 sq.m each. Apart from this, 16 mosques with floor space of 2,052.12 square meters each under ‘C’ category are being constructed in coastal areas.

Minister of State for Religion. Faridul Haque Khan and its secretary MD A Hamid Jamaddar addressed the event. The program was conducted by the Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister. Tofajzel Hossain Mia.

Local members of parliament, public representatives, leaders of political parties, government officials, clerics and ulama of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila and Phultala Upazila of Khulna district were present in the event.

A video-documentary on Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center was screened on the occasion.