The government has allocated Tk1,100 crore in the 2026-27 fiscal year to expand the state honorarium programme for religious leaders and service workers, Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad announced on Thursday.
Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting and prize distribution ceremony held at Jagannath University to mark Holy Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SA), the minister said 2,56,074 religious leaders and service workers across 86,709 institutions will be brought under the state honorarium coverage through this allocation.
During the pilot stage of the religious leaders’ honorarium project, allowances were disbursed to a total of 13,949 beneficiaries, comprising 4,683 Imams, 4,312 Muazzins, 3,784 Khadems, 586 priests, 422 sebaits, 95 Buddhist abbots (Adhyakshas), and 67 vice abbots (Upadhyakshas).
Regarding Hajj management, Kaikobad said there is no precedent in world history of pilgrims receiving refunds of unspent money following the completion of Hajj rituals. He added that setting such an example in Bangladesh was made possible through the bold initiative and specific guidance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
In 2026 Hajj, a total of Tk4,87,23,014 was refunded to 4,341 pilgrims under government management. He further noted that while the Hajj airfare was Tk1,97,797 in 2023, the prime minister’s intervention reduced it to Tk1,30,000 this year.
Recalling the heritage of Jagannath University, the minister noted that following the plan of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and the historic announcement of Khaleda Zia, the institution began its journey as a full-fledged public university in 2005 under the “Jagannath University Act, 2005.”
He urged all concerned to take the university to greater heights in higher education, research, and modern knowledge practice.
The discussion meeting was chaired by Professor Dr Mostafa Hasan, with Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Rais Uddin delivering the main address as chief discussant. Director General of the Islamic Foundation Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahi-l-Baqi Nadvi attended as the special guest.
Deans of various faculties, department chairmen, teachers, students, officers, employees, student organisation leaders, and media journalists were present at the event.
Impressed by an essay written by Najmun Akhtar, a student of the Department of Islamic Studies, the minister personally announced an award of Tk50,000 for her, along with an additional Tk1,50,000 to encourage the remaining 11 winning students.
