CHATTOGRAM, July 4, 2025 (BSS) - Religion Affairs Adviser Dr. AFM Khalid Hossain said if every member of society focuses on practicing religion, the crime rate will fall in the society.
He made the remarks as the chief guest while laying the foundation stone of a model mosque and inaugurated the construction work of two other mosques at a cost of Tk 40 crore in Hathazari, Raojan and Rangunia upazilas of the district today.
The adviser said that the government has built this mosque at a cost of Tk 13 crore, and now it is the responsibility of the local people to maintain the mosque.
“By establishing a mosque-based society, everyone in the community should regularly attend the mosque. The mosque should be kept functional and five daily prayers should be offered in the mosque,” he added.
The Islamic Foundation (IF) under the Ministry of Religious Affairs is constructing 564 mosques and Islamic cultural centers across the country as part of the Model Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center Construction Project.
He emphasized that prayers keep everyone free from all kinds of bad deeds and awaken the sense of morality among people and uphold human values.
"Neither a single pilgrim faced harassment at the country's airport, nor anyone became victim of harassment while going to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj. No one went missing. Besides, this time, houses were rented for the pilgrims near the Kaaba at a low cost reducing expense of the pilgrims," he added.
Later, the adviser offered Juma prayers at the mosque. On the first day today, the head of Hathazari Boro Madrasa, Mufti Md. Jasim Uddin, delivered a Khutba at the mosque and led the Jummah prayer.
A large number of devotees prayed for the welfare of the country and the nation as well as for the current government for building this beautiful mosque.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Md. Awal Hawlader, Director General of the Islamic Foundation, A. Salam Khan, and Project Director, Md. Shahidul Alam, among others, spoke at the event.
This three-storey mosque complex has arrangements for 1,200 people to pray at a time. Additionally, there are facilities such as a place for bathing the dead, car parking, Imam Muazzin training facilities an orphanage, Islamic book exhibition and sales center, Islamic Foundation office, kitchen and dining facilities, Islamic Research Center, mass education system, Hajj booking system, Islamic library, Imam teacher and Muazzin's living room, guest room, conference room, autism corner, etc.