Role of Imams and Mosques Crucial in Building Crime-Free Society: Water Resources Minister

Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee MP has said that Imams and mosques play a vital role in building a crime-free, peaceful and morally sound society.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at the National Imam Conference titled “Role of Imams and Mosques in Building a Beautiful Crime-Free Society,” organised by the National Imam Parishad Bangladesh at the Engineers Institution seminar hall in Ramna, Dhaka, on Monday.

Shahiduddin Chowdhury said mosques should not be limited to places of prayer but should be developed as key centres for morality, human values, social awareness and crime prevention. Drug abuse, terrorism, corruption, juvenile crime, family unrest and various forms of moral degradation have increasingly become matters of concern in society.

He said that alongside law enforcement agencies, families, educational institutions and religious institutions must play effective roles in preventing such crimes and social degradation. In particular, Imams and khatibs can inspire people with fear of Allah, morality, a sense of responsibility and human values through Friday sermons, religious discourses and regular religious education.

Speakers at the conference said that people’s character can be developed by implementing the ideals of the Holy Quran and Sunnah in individual and social life. An Imam can provide moral and social leadership to the people in his area. Therefore, they said, proper training, social dignity and necessary facilities should be ensured for Imams, while mosque-based public awareness activities should be strengthened further.

They called for turning every mosque in the country into a centre of social reform and welfare activities. At the same time, they stressed the need for Imams and khatibs to play a more active role in keeping the younger generation away from drugs, terrorism, obscenity and crime.

The programme was chaired by Mufti Abdullah Yahya, president of the National Imam Parishad Bangladesh. State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Nurul Haque Nur and Kamruzzaman Ratan MP were present as special guests.

The organisation’s Secretary General Mufti AFM Akram Hossain, along with Mufti Saifullah Nomani and Maulana Abdus Salam, jointly moderated the conference.

Among others, Hefazat’s central Naib-e-Ameer Maulana Ahmad Ali Qasemi, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Subhani, Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, Maulana Khalilur Rahman Nesarabadi, Islamic Foundation Governor Mufti Munir Hossain Qasemi, Maulana Azharul Islam, Mufti Sharifullah, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Qasemi, Maulana Salman Ahmad, Maulana Abdul Hai Muhammad Saifullah, Maulana Abu Muhammad Rahmani, Mufti Lutfar Rahman Faraizi, Mufti Masum Billah, Maulana Abdul Awwal, Hefazat’s central office secretary Maulana Afsar Mahmud, Dr Harunur Rashid, Mufti Imranul Bari Siraji, Mufti Adnan Masud, Maulana Qazi Mamunur Rashid Khan Yusuf, Maulana Abdul Gaffar, Mufti Junaid Ahmad, Mufti Rakib Uddin, Mufti Ibrahim Khalil, Maulana Abdur Rahman Betagi, Maulana Hedayatullah Fayazi, Maulana Fashjullah Bin Mukhtar, Maulana Manzurul Hasan Nadim, Mufti Sultan Ahmad and Maulana Faisal Habibi, among others, also spoke at the conference.

Imams, khatibs and religious figures from different parts of the country attended the conference. The speakers called on Imams and khatibs to work collectively to build a crime-free and beautiful society.