<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centres across the country as part of her government’s programme to spread true message of Islam.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She opened the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the sixth phase during the National Imam Conference and Prize Giving Ceremony-2023.</div><div><br></div><div>Imam of the Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan was with the prime minister during the event.</div><div><br></div><div>Religious Affairs Ministry organised the function at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre at Rupganj of Narayanganj. Three pandals have been set up at the venue.</div><div><br></div><div>After reaching the venue, the prime minister first visited the pandels&nbsp; along with the&nbsp; Imam of the Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina.</div><div><br></div><div>Both the premier and the imam spoke briefly to the Imams gathered at the venue from different parts of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>She thanked the imams for coming to join National Imam Council and urged them to pray for wellbeing of the country and its people.</div><div><br></div><div>"Pray to Allah that the development of the country being carried out by the government goes on,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina also thanked the custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.</div><div><br></div><div>Monday’s opening of the mosques raised the number of such model mosques to 300.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has taken up a programme of building 564 model mosques and Islamic centres across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM unveiled 50 mosques each in the first phase on 10 June, 2021, in the second phase on 16 January this year, in the third phase on 16 March,&nbsp; in the fourth phase on 17 April and in the fifth phase on July 30.</div><div><br></div><div>The construction of the remaining mosques and Islamic cultural centres is scheduled to be completed by June 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>The mosques and centres are being built under a programme to spread the true message of Islam following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>The model mosques and Islamic cultural centres include separate places for ablution and namaj along with air-conditioning system.</div><div><br></div><div>There will also be registration and training arrangements for Hajj pilgrims, Imam training centre, research centre and Islamic library, autism corner, ritual system before burial, car parking facility, hifzakhana, pre-primary education and Quran learning arrangement, conference room for Islamic cultural activities and Islamic dawat, Islamic books sale centre and boarding facility for local and foreign guests.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2017, the government has taken a project with Taka 9,435 crore for constructing Islamic Cultural Centres and Model Mosque in every district and upazila as well as municipality of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>An audio-visual documentary on the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres was screened at the function.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for religious affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the event addressed&nbsp; among others by President of Tarikat Foundation Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, Maulana Dr. Mohammad Kafiluddin Sarkar Salehi and Maulana Ehsanul Haq Al Mojaddedi.</div><div><br></div><div>Secretary for religious affairs ministry Md A Hamid Zamadder delivered the address of welcome. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>