<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday called upon the country's Islamic scholars to teach the people, especially the children, true humanitarian values to keep them away from terrorism, militancy and drug addiction.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“These vices are destroying families and the society as well,” she said while virtually inaugurating 50 more model mosques across the country from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>She also appealed to all particularly the children not to get involved in militancy, saying, “Militancy is dishonouring the Islam instead of dignifying it.”</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina urged the guardians and teachers of the educational institutions to be cautious so their children cannot get involved in militancy.</div><div><br></div><div>“We can build our society in a beautiful manner by erasing wrong learning, differences, conflicts, terrorism, and militancy by understanding the true spirit of&nbsp; Islam,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier said that through the newly opened model mosques and Islamic cultural centres people would get true knowledge of the Islamic values and culture.</div><div><br></div><div>This will help people to stay away from those who mislead them in the name of religion besides contributing immensely to stop terrorism, militancy and repression on the women, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the government has taken the projects of constructing model mosques for creating awareness among the people about the Islamic values.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said the model mosques would increase the knowledge of the people about&nbsp; Islam, which is a religion of peace, brotherhood and friendship.</div><div><br></div><div>“The mosques would also help stop terrorism, militancy and torture on women by imparting the people with true knowledge of Islamic values and cultures,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Describing the Alem and Olamas as the “Orasatul Ambia”, she said the people of the country will respect the Khatibs and Imams of the mosques.</div><div><br></div><div>“Make sure none can mislead the people using our religion. You can aware people to refrain themselves from getting involved in irregularities in the society that include drug addiction, child marriage, repression on women, food adulteration and corruption in your daily sermons and Jummah’s khutba,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said religion cannot be used as a political weapon.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our target is to put an end to stop torture and repression on the people abusing the religion,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said&nbsp; Islam ensures free practice of religion by people of every faith.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We all irrespective of party and opinion can build a developed, prosperous and “Smart Bangladesh” having equal respect to every religion and with the non-communal spirit,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister mentioned that the Awami League is always a servant of the Islam and said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stopped playing race and gambling and taking liquor.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that Bangabandhu established madrasah board, gave places for Baitul Mukarram Mosque and Ijtema ground to serve the Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>“Bangabandhu had taken initiatives to hold Biswa Ijtema in Bangladesh and incorporate Bangladesh as a member of the OIC,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Following the ideal of the Father of the Nation, she said they have taken various programmes to dignify the Islam that included constructing of 564 model mosques at each of the upazilas and districts.</div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina said that she has so far opened 100 model mosques across the country while the rest of the mosques will be opened in phases.</div><div><br></div><div>The government is now building three-storey model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in every upazila while four-storey mosque in every district.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan and the ministry's secretary Kazi Enamul Hassan spoke at the function from the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.</div><div><br></div><div>Rajshahi, Shariatpur and Chouddagram of Cumilla district sites were also connected to the programme, where the local lawmakers, public representatives, political parties, government officials and common people were present.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A video-documentary on the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres was screened at the function. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>