Govt to launch honorarium, training programme for imams, other religious leaders on 14 Mar

The government will launch a welfare programme providing honorariums and training for imams, muezzins, khadems and other staff working at mosques and different places of worship from 14 March.

Md Ismail Zabihullah, adviser to the Prime Minister and president of the cell formed to implement the programme, announced this at a press briefing at the Secretariat today (8 March), reports UNB.

Under the initiative, a monthly allocation of Tk10,000 will be provided for mosques. Of this amount, imams will receive Tk5,000, muezzins Tk3,000, and khadems Tk2,000.

For temples, Buddhist monasteries and churches, the monthly allocation will be Tk8,000.

In temples, priests will receive Tk5,000 and caretakers Tk3,000.

In Buddhist monasteries, the abbot will receive Tk5,000 and the assistant abbot Tk3,000.

In churches, priests will receive Tk5,000 while assistant priests will get Tk3,000.

In addition, the cell chief said that every year a festival allowance of Tk1,000 will be provided during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, while Tk2,000 will be given to the respective priests, attendants, monastery abbots, assistant abbots, pastors and assistant pastors during Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima and Christmas.

He added that the programme will gradually be expanded to include all mosques, temples, Buddhist monasteries and churches across the country.

If all places of worship are brought under the scheme, the estimated annual financial implication will be around Tk4,400 crore.

The government plans to implement the programme in four phases over the next four fiscal years.