<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon Alem and Olama (Islamic scholars) to instil humanitarian values among people and guide them against terrorism, militancy and drug addiction.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">“These 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 style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">She also requested all, particularly the children, not to get involved in militancy, saying, “Militancy is dishonouring Islam instead of dignifying it.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina urged the guardians and teachers of educational institutions to be cautious as children and youths are targeted by militants.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We can develop our society in a beautiful manner by erasing miseducation, differences, conflicts, terrorism, and militancy through realising the true sense of Islam,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister said that through the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres, people would get true knowledge on Islamic values and culture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will help in not being misled in the name of religion, alongside contributing immensely to stop terrorism, militancy and repression on women, she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said that the government has undertaken the projects of constructing model mosques so that no one can mislead people in the name of Islam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM said the model mosques would enhance people’s knowledge of Islam – a religion of peace, fraternity and friendship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It would help stop terrorism, militancy and repression on women, with imparting the true knowledge of Islamic values and culture on people,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Describing the Alem and Olama as the “Orasatul Ambia”, she said people of the country respect the Khatibs and Imams of mosques.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Make sure that none can mislead people using our religion. You can educate people to refrain from getting involved in social ills that include drug addiction, child marriage, repression of women, food adulteration and corruption through your daily sermons and khutba during Jummah,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said religion cannot be used as a political weapon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our target is to put an end to torture and repression, using religion,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM said Islam ensures free exercise of religions by people of all faiths.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Irrespective of political identity and opinion, we can build a developed, prosperous and ‘Smart Bangladesh’ – with equal respect to every religion and with the non-communal spirit,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina said that Awami League has always been a “servant of Islam”, and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stopped racing, gambling and alcohol sales.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She mentioned that Bangabandhu established madrasa board, allocated land for Baitul Mukarram Mosque and Ijtema ground – to uphold Islam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Bangabandhu had taken initiatives to hold Bishwa Ijtema in Bangladesh and incorporate the country as a member of the OIC,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Following the ideals of the Father of the Nation, she said they have taken various programmes to dignify Islam that includes constructing 564 model mosques at each of the upazilas and districts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister said that she has so far opened 100 model mosques across the country while the rest will be opened in phases.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government is now building three storey model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in every upazila and four storey mosque in every district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">State Minister for Religious Affairs Ministry Md Faridul Haque Khan and its Secretary Kazi Enamul Hassan spoke at the function from the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rajshahi, Shariatpur and Chouddagram of Cumilla district sites were also connected to the programme, where the local lawmakers, public representatives, political parties, government officers and common people were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A video-documentary on the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres was screened at the function. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>