Religious Affairs Minister Urges Imams to Build Awareness Against Wrongdoing Through Friday Sermons, Outlines Honorarium Plan at National Imam Conference

Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain (Kaykobad) has called on imams to play a more active role in building public awareness through Friday sermons to remove drugs, bribery, corruption, extortion and injustice from society.

He made the call on Saturday (October 24) at 11am while speaking as chief guest at the National Imam Conference, held at the Islamic Foundation auditorium in Dhaka's Agargaon on the occasion of the triennial council session of the Bangladesh National Imam Association.

The minister said that alongside law enforcement agencies, imams also have an important role in removing various wrongs and immoral practices from society. Noting that ordinary people listen to and trust imams with deep confidence, he urged all imams to build overall moral awareness through Friday sermons.

At the conference, the minister also presented the government's plan to increase the financial security and social status of those who serve religious institutions. He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had promised, before taking part in the election, to provide honorariums to the country's imams, muezzins and religious service providers.

Honorarium payments have already begun in phases to implement that promise, the minister said, adding that Tk 1,100 crore has been allocated in the development sector of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

He also said the religious leaders of the country's 347,339 religious institutions will gradually be brought under the government honorarium structure within the next four years. The figure emerged as one of the most important announcements for the imams present at the conference.

Referring to the historical contribution of imams and scholars, the minister said imams, ulama and pirs had also supported and cooperated during the time of martyred President Ziaur Rahman. Scholars had also played an important role in the 'confidence referendum' (yes-no) vote at the time of the BNP's founding.

He also told the conference that the welfare fund of Tk 2 crore announced by Begum Khaleda Zia in 1994 for the socio-economic development and dignity of imams and muezzins has now grown to nearly Tk 100 crore.

Speaking as a special guest, Daily Inqilab editor A M M Bahauddin praised the religious affairs minister's experience and personality, saying his character is held in high esteem by scholars, teachers and ordinary people as well as senior officials of law enforcement and the armed forces.

He said the government needs to work in a coordinated way taking scholars and the imam community along for the country's development. He also emphasised engaging the strength of the country's majority Muslim population in development work.

Chaired by Bangladesh National Imam Association president Maulana Kazi Abu Huraira, the conference was also attended as special guests by Rafiqul Islam Jamal, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the religious affairs ministry, Dr Enamul Haque Chowdhury, the BNP chairperson's adviser on Middle East affairs, Mufti Abul Hasan, MP for Sylhet-5, and Mufti Muhammad Habibullahil Baqi Nadvi, director general of the Islamic Foundation.

Altogether, two messages stood out at the conference — a call to use Friday sermons as a means of awareness against wrongdoing in society, and a detailed presentation of the government's ongoing plans for the honorariums and welfare of imams and muezzins.