<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centres across the country in the fourth phase joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the new ones, she has so far inaugurated 200 mosques out of 564 being built at a cost of Taka 9,435 crore all over the country.</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;">Earlier, she opened 50 mosques each in the first phase on June 10, 2021, in the second phase on January 16 this year and the third phase on March 16. </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-condition 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 brotherhood and its values as well as disseminate the essence of Islam against extremism and militancy as the religion never supports those.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It would also put concentration on creating awareness against terrorism and violence against women along with disseminating development activities of the government.</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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tungipara Upazila in Gopalganj district and Bishwanath  Upazila of Sylhet district were also connected to the programme where the local lawmakers, public representatives, political parties' leaders, government officers, alem-ulama 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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan in the chair, secretary of the ministry Kazi Enamul Hassan delivered welcome address at the function.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the programme. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>