<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday opened 50 more newly constructed model mosques and Islamic cultural centres across the country in the fifth phase.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the new ones 250 mosques have so far been&nbsp; built as part of the government’s move to construct 564 district and upazila-level model mosques at a cost of Tk 9,435 crore throughout the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier opened the 50 mosques through a virtual inaugural ceremony from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, she unveiled 50 mosques each in the first phase on June 10, 2021, in the second phase on January 16 this year, the third phase on March 16 and the fourth phase on April 17.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The construction of the remaining mosques and Islamic cultural centres is scheduled to be completed by June, 2024.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The model mosques and Islamic cultural centres include separate places for ablution and namaj along with air-conditioning system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, there will 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, boarding facility for local and foreign guests along with the mosques.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Being imbued with the spirit of Islam and following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the prime minister has come up with the idea of constructing 564 model mosques across the country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of the project is to publicise Islamic culture and values as well as disseminate the essence of Islam against extremism and militancy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under category A, some 69 four-storey mosques having the elevator facility and a floor space of 2,360.09 square metres each are being constructed in 64 districts and city corporation areas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Under category B, 475 mosques are being built with a floor space of 1680.14 square metres each, while 16 mosques under C category in coastal areas will have a floor space of 2,052.12 square metres each. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">bnbd24/kh</div>