As part of the BNP’s election pledge to provide monthly honorariums and festival allowances to religious leaders of different faiths, the government has decided to launch the programme for khatibs, imams and muezzins of mosques ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.
The decision was taken at a meeting on strengthening religious and social harmony held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the city’s Tejgaon area. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting, which was attended by concerned ministers, state ministers and senior officials.
Later, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin briefed journalists in front of the PMO about the Prime Minister’s first-day activities at the office.
He said the Prime Minister worked at the PMO for the first time today, noting that Tarique Rahman travelled to the office “like an ordinary citizen” and waited at traffic signals on the way.
Before entering the main building, the Prime Minister planted a ‘Swarna Chapa’ flower sapling and exchanged greetings with officers and staff, Mahdi Amin said. He added that many officials had previously worked with former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and Tarique Rahman addressed several of them by name.
According to the adviser, the Prime Minister held separate meetings with ministers and secretaries on implementing election pledges. Discussions focused on fulfilling the commitment to provide monthly honorariums and festival allowances to khatibs, imams, muezzins and religious leaders of other faiths.
Under the Prime Minister’s directive, preparations will be taken to start the programme in phases before Eid-ul-Fitr. Mahdi Amin said that in some areas, disbursement of honorariums is expected to begin before Eid.
Responding to a question about the amount, he said a committee has been formed to decide the financial structure of the programme. The order of beneficiaries and disbursement mechanisms will be determined through a technical team and inter-ministerial consultations, he added.
Mahdi Amin also said another meeting discussed plans to build a cheerful and career-oriented education system, expand employment opportunities, and strengthen sports infrastructure and training facilities.
The meeting reviewed proposals to promote merit-based and discrimination-free employment, introduce reforms to enhance skills for government and private sector jobs, encourage entrepreneurship, and support manpower export.
He added that discussions included deregulation in business, commerce and industrial policies, prioritising technical and vocational education, and improving coordination with Bangladeshi embassies abroad and foreign missions in Bangladesh to upgrade workers’ skills.
Mahdi Amin said implementation of election pledges would begin within a short time.
During the briefing, Press Secretary Saleh Shibli said that the day marked Tarique Rahman’s third working day as Prime Minister. Although Saturday is a weekly holiday, he spent a busy day reviewing programmes aimed at improving people’s living standards.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam and Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon were also present.