"We’ve to take steps so that Islam always remains on top," she said while inaugurating the Hajj programme-2018 at Hajj Camp in the city's Ashkona area.

Sheikh Hasina said Islam believes in peace as it repeatedly says about the rights of human beings and welfare of people. "But often we see some people in the name of this religion engaged in terrorist acts and creates militancy and this puts our religion into question before the whole world," she said.

Hasina said these cause problems to Muslims when they travel to various countries of the world. "But, holy Islam is the most peaceful religion…Islam says the people of all religions will perform their own religious rituals independently, our Prophet (PBUH) repeatedly said that."

She mentioned that some people created anarchy and problems just to undermine our religion. "Nobody has the right to malign our religion."

The Prime Minister said the government wants that no one to spread confusion about Islam and build a system so that people can understand the real meaning of Islam. "For that, we’ve taken a project to construct 560 mosques in different areas of the country under the supervision of the Islamic Foundation."

Hasina mentioned that 80 percent places for these mosques have been selected, the project got government's nod involving Tk 800 crore. "Apart from being used for prayers, these mosques will spread the real meaning of Islam so that no one can confuse people."

She urged the hajj pilgrims to seek mercy of the Almighty Allah while offering their prayers in the holy mosques for allowing the Muslims as well as the people of other faiths in the country to live peacefully to continue the nation’s progress.

Chaired by Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matior Rahman, the programme was addressed, among others, by Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Religious Affairs Ministry Bazlul Huq Haroon, Advocate Sahara Khatun, MP, Saudi Chargé d' Affaires Amir Bin Omar Bin Salem and Secretary Md Anisur Rahman.

After the inaugural programme, the Prime Minister exchanged greetings with the Hajj pilgrims. 

The hajj flights carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims for performing hajj this year will begin on July 14. This year, a total of 1,27,198 pilgrims-- 7,198 under government management and 1,20,000 under private management-- will perform hajj from Bangladesh.

There are two packages— Package-1 Tk 3,97,929 and Package-2 Tk 3,31,359 -- for the hajj travellers under the government management and the flight fair has been fixed at Tk 1,38,191 under these two packages.