The Ministry of Religious Affairs has prepared a Tk 100 crore project for the development and beautification of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, reduced expenditure on Hajj packages and strengthened communal harmony in the country while carrying out other activities during the first 100 days of the current government.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on August 8, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s dictatorship on August 5 in the face of a massive student-led uprising.

“We have an allocation of Tk 100 million for the beautification and development of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. We have prepared a project to transform the national mosque into a spectacular establishment and create religious fervor there,” he told BSS AFM religious affairs advisor Khalid Hossain. .

He said the government had also received a fund of Tk 10 crore from Kuwait for the development of Anderkilla Shahi Jame Mosque in Chattogram. The development work on this ancient Mughal-era mosque in the port city will begin in January 2025, he added.

The adviser said the Ministry of Religious Affairs had also taken the initiative, for the first time in the country, to set a unified salary scale for imams, muezzins and other staff of mosques across the country.

An expert committee has been formed and is working to make recommendations on the pay scale taking into account all relevant aspects, he said.

All mosques under government, semi-government and autonomous organizations will follow this pay scale and all solvent mosques under private management across the country will also be asked through local administrations to follow it, Khalid added.

On his ministry’s success in reducing Hajj expenses for Bangladeshi pilgrims in 2025, he said it could achieve this by reducing airfares and housing rent in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, on October 30, the advisor had announced two profitable Hajj packages for the upcoming year 2025 by reducing expenses compared to the previous year.

The minimum cost of General Package 1 under the government deal is set at Tk 4,78,242, up from Tk 5,78,840 in 2024.

The cost of the general package-2 under the government agreement is fixed at Tk 5,75,680, while the government has decided not to offer the special Hajj package in 2025, which charged Tk 9,36,320 in 2024.

The first package includes accommodation within a 1-1.5 km radius from the Holy Kaaba, while the other offers accommodation within a 2.5-3 km radius. Both packages offer quality transportation and accommodation.

The price of the general private Hajj package managed by the private Hajj agencies has been fixed at Tk 4,83,156, and the agencies have been allowed to offer additional special packages.

Additionally, the ministry introduced a cashless system for Hajj pilgrims and Hajj agencies so that they can deposit their fees online without personally visiting the bank.

On maintaining communal harmony in the country, the Religious Affairs Advisor said the caretaker government had strengthened amity among followers of all faiths.

He said the last Durga Puja, the biggest festival of the Hindu community, was celebrated peacefully and enthusiastically across the country.

There were no major untoward incidents anywhere as law enforcement agencies and conscious citizens were vigilant, he added.

“We held meetings with community leaders and visited temples to ensure the smooth running of their religious festivals,” he added.

The advisor said that they worked in coordination with the Home Ministry during the Durga Puja. Besides, Tk 4 crore was distributed to facilitate the puja celebration this year, he added.

During the last monsoon floods, the advisor said, the Islamic Foundation under his ministry provided health services through five medical teams in Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Cumilla, Moulvibazar and Chattogram districts.

Around 16,000 people received free medical care thanks to these medical teams, he added.

Besides, Tk 55,00,000 was distributed to flood-affected people in 11 districts through the Islamic Foundation’s Jakat fund, the advisor said.

Asked about the action taken by his ministry regarding allegations of corruption in the construction of model mosques across the country during the last government, the adviser said a committee had been formed to investigate the allegations.

If the allegations are found to be true, action will be taken as per the investigation report, he added.