PM launches monthly honorarium scheme for religious leaders

Prime minister Tarique Rahman today, Saturday, inaugurated a government programme to provide monthly honorariums to heads and assistants of different religious institutions of all faiths across the country.

The premier opened the programme by pressing the button of IBAS system to send the honorariums to the bank accounts of respective imams, muazzins and khadems of mosques, with heads and assistant heads of other religious institutions through EFT system under a pilot scheme at a function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka this morning.

Earlier, the prime minister also distributed the cheques for the honorarium among imams, muazzins and khadems of mosques, and heads and assistant heads of other religious institutions.

After getting the SMS of honorariums from their respective banks, the beneficiaries expressed their feelings, thanking the government and the prime minister for introducing the programme.  

Earlier, Tarique Rahman arrived at the venue at 9:58 am and exchanged greetings with Islamic scholars and leaders of other faiths, who joined the programme on the stage.

Under the initiative, imams, muazzins and khadems of mosques, priests and sebaits of temples, heads and deputy heads (monks) of Buddha Vihars, priests and assistant priests of Churches will receive the allowance every month.

LGRD and Cooperatives minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at the function as the guest of honour and prime minister’s adviser for Public Administration and president of the cell formed to implement the honorarium providing programme Md Ismail Zabiullah attended the function as special guest with Religious Affairs minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad) in the chair.

Shaykh-e-Charmonai Mufti Syed Fayzul Karim, senior nayeb-e-ameer of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Mufti Muhibbullahil Baki, pesh imam of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Mufti Saiful Islam, khatib of Dhanmondi Taqwa Mosjid, valiant freedom fighter Uday Sankar Chakraborty, general secretary of Sri Ramakrishna Ashram Kurigram, Dharma Mitra Mahathero, head of the International Buddhist Monastery Dhaka, and archbihop Bejoy N D'Cruze, OMI, archbishop of Dhaka spoke at the function.

At the onset of the event, a documentary was screened on the government’s newly launched programme of providing monthly honorariums to heads and assistances for religious institutions of all faiths across the country. 

The government has introduced the programme for religious heads of all places of worship of all faiths across the country as per its election pledge.

Introducing an honorarium and training-based welfare system for religious heads of all places of worship of all faiths to strengthen religious and social harmony was one of the election pledges of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

In the first phase of the pilot scheme, one mosque from each union and municipality has been selected, totalling 4,908 mosques while for other places of worship, two temples from each upazila have been selected, totalling 990 temples.

Besides, as there are Buddhist monasteries in 72 upazilas, two from each upazila have been selected, totalling 144 Buddhist monasteries while, likewise, since churches exist in 198 upazilas, two from each have been chosen, totalling 396 churches under the programme.

Under the scheme the monthly allowances have been fixed as follows: Taka 5,000 for Imam, Taka 3,000 for Muezzin and Taka 2,000 for Khadem, meaning, each mosque will receive Taka 10,000 per month in total.

For other religious institutions, the allowance structure will be Taka 5,000 for temple priest, Taka 3,000 Sebayet (temple caretaker), Taka 5,000 for head monk of Buddhist monastery, Taka 3,000 for assistant monk, Taka 5,000 for Church priest and Taka 3,000 for assistant priest. Each temple, Buddhist monastery and church will receive Taka 8,000 per month under the programme.

Besides, Imams, muazzins and khadems will receive Taka 1,000 each during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha as festival allowance every year, while priests, sebayets, head monks, assistant monks, church priests and assistant priests will receive Taka 2,000 each during Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima and Christmas.

Tk 271.3 million (27.13 crore) will be required in the current fiscal year to implement the programme. The allowance will be sent to the selected beneficiaries through Sonali Bank.

Since the money will be transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, the system leaves no scope for corruption, sources said.