Mentioning that her government always believes in maintaining communal harmony, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday hoped that those who tarnished the image of Islam as the religion of peace by unleashing militancy and terrorism will refrain from committing such misdeeds in the future. “I feel pity when they in the name of religion of peace Islam unleash militancy and terrorism tarnishing the image of the religion …I hope they’ll refrain from such misdeeds in the future,” she said while addressing a function marking the inauguration of Hajj Programme 2013 (1434 Hijri) at Hajj Camp in city’s Ashkona area. Terming Islam as the greatest of religions in the world, Hasina urged all to spread its greatness and teachings. “Islam is a religion of peace and we want that this religion would be established throughout the world.” Held with State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate M Shahjahan Mian in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Posts and Telecommunications Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruq Khan and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Al Nasser Abdullah Al Bushairi.
Secretary of the Religious Affairs Ministry Kazi Habibul Awal delivered the welcome address.
The Prime Minister said that Awami League government had always believed in maintaining communal harmony, which is also the education of Islam.
“We want Bangladesh to maintain its image as a country of communal harmony as well as be established as a peaceful country in South Asia,” she added.
Extending her heartfelt thanks to the Saudi government and the Saudi King for their steps on changing ‘Aqama’ (work permit) alongside legalising the Bangladeshis living in Saudi Arabia, Hasina said that the existing relationship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia is excellent hoping that it would further be strengthened in the future.
The Prime Minister also said that one beautiful mosque in each district and later at upazila level would either be built or renovated with modern facilities, and sought assistance from the Saudi government to this end. She also recalled the assistance of the Saudi government in beautification of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
She said that her government is working relentlessly to perform the sacred duty of spreading teachings of Islam.
Noting that improving Hajj management is a continuous process, the premier claimed that discipline has been restored in Hajj management with the rising number of Hajj pilgrims.
After assuming office in 2009, Hasina said, her government has taken steps to make Hajj management effective removing all kinds of indiscipline and irregularities in all fields, including carrying Hajj pilgrims, accommodation in Makkah-Medina and their healthcare services.
She said her government adopted the National Hajj Policy 2010-2014 to ensure the appropriate Hajj management resulting in increase of facilities for the Hajj pilgrims as well as transparency and accountability in administrative works got institutional shape.
In this regard, she said that the Saudi Hajj Ministry has acknowledged Bangladesh as the best country in South Asia for its improved Hajj management from 2009 to 2012.
Highlighting various steps of the present government to improve Hajj management, Hasina said that the office of Hajj wing in Jeddah was transferred to Makkah in 2009, modernised the hajj management system ensuring the utmost use of ICT, introducing Hajj related website, renting plaza at Jeddah Hajj terminal to facilitate the Hajj pilgrims, installation of four lifts at hajj camp in Ashkona.
Besides, the Prime Minister said that special attention was given to the rented houses for the Hajj pilgrims in Makkah and Medina to ensure improved accommodation alongside ensuring transparency and accountability.
“Houses for the hajj pilgrims are now being rented in nearing plain lands instead of renting houses in far, old and hilly areas,” she added.
Observing that the number of Hajj pilgrims has increased over the years due to improvement in services of hajj management side by side restoring discipline, Hasina said that the number of Hajj pilgrims in 2012 was 1,09,952 which was 47,983 in 2006.
The Prime Minister, however, said that the number of Hajj pilgrims in this year would decrease at 89,175 as because those who had performed Hajj in the last five years would not be allowed to perform hajj this year.
Besides, the Saudi government has also reduced the eligible quota of hajj pilgrims for Bangladesh by 20 percent, which is also applicable for other countries of the world. As a result, the number of hajj pilgrims in this year is slightly low.
Highlighting various initiatives of the present government for flourishing Islam, Hasina said that her party has always been devoted to serving Islam as her government has made arrangement for publicising holy Quran through its digitalization in Arabic, Bangla and English languages, introducing Al Quran Digital Website and its DVDs, imparting training to various religious leaders, associating religious leaders in human resource management, introducing mosque-based children and mass education programme by the Islamic Foundation.
The Prime Minister also sought doa from the hajj pilgrims for the continued peace and prosperity of the country and hoped that the flow of success in hajj management would continue to grow in the coming days.
Later, a munajat was offered seeking continued peace, prosperity and development of the nation as well as peaceful performing of hajj by the pilgrims.
The first Hajj flight from Bangladesh begins on Saturday and it would end on October 8. The return flights from Saudi Arabia will start on October 19.
Flight arrangements have been made for the first time to send Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims from Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
-With The Independent input
