Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centres across the country as part of her government’s programme to spread true message of Islam.

She opened the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres in the sixth phase during the National imam Conference and Prize Giving Ceremony-2023.

Imam of the Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan was with the prime minister during the event.

Religious Affairs Ministry organised the function at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre at Rupganj of Narayanganj. Three pandals have been set up at the venue.

After reaching the venue, the prime minister first visited the pandels  along with the  imam of the Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina.

Read: PM Hasina returns home after 3-day official visit to Belgium

Both the premier and the imam spoke briefly to the imams gathered at the venue from different parts of the country.

She thanked the imams for coming to join National Imam Council and urged them to pray for wellbeing of the country and its people.

"Pray to Allah that the development of the country being carried out by the government goes on,” she said.

PM Hasina also thanked the custodian of the two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Monday’s opening of the mosques raised the number of such model mosques to 300.

Read: PM condoles death of freedom fighter Badrul Alam Bir Uttam

The government has taken up a programme of building 564 model mosques and Islamic centres across the country.

The PM unveiled 50 mosques each in the first phase on 10 June, 2021, in the second phase on 16 January this year, in the third phase on 16 March,  in the fourth phase on 17 April and in the fifth phase on July 30.

The construction of the remaining mosques and Islamic cultural centres is scheduled to be completed by June 2024.

The mosques and centres are being built under a programme to spread the true message of Islam following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The model mosques and Islamic cultural centres include separate places for ablution and namaj along with air-conditioning system.

There will also 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 and boarding facility for local and foreign guests.

Read: PM Hasina set to return home from Brussels on Friday

In 2017, the government has taken a project with Taka 9,435 crore for constructing Islamic Cultural Centres and Model Mosque in every district and upazila as well as municipality of the country.

An audio-visual documentary on the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres was screened at the function.

State Minister for religious affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the event addressed  among others by President of Tarikat Foundation Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, Maulana Dr. Mohammad Kafiluddin Sarkar Salehi and Maulana Ehsanul Haq Al Mojaddedi.

Secretary for religious affairs ministry Md A Hamid Zamadder delivered the address of welcome.