New Policy Sets Honorarium for Model Mosque Imams And Muezzins

The government has fixed the honorariums for imams, muezzins, khadims and security guards working at model mosques across Bangladesh. The amounts and salary structure are outlined in the new “Model Mosque Management Policy, 2026.” The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a gazette notification on September 24. Ministry Secretary Munsi Alauddin Al Azad NDC signed the notification.

Under the policy, a pesh imam may receive a monthly honorarium of Tk 20,000, while a muezzin may receive Tk 15,000 and a khadim Tk 12,000. The honorarium for khatibs and security guards will be determined on a contractual basis. The policy also states that financially capable model mosques may provide salaries and allowances according to the grades specified under the “Mosque Management Policy, 2025.”

Under this structure, the imam will be placed in Grade 10, the muezzin in Grade 16 and the khadim in Grade 18. The positions of khatib and security guard will remain contractual. All personnel working at model mosques, including khatibs, will be responsible for safeguarding the mosque’s assets and property. The policy also allows festival allowances for Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. Eligible personnel may receive an allowance equal to their honorarium for the month immediately preceding the respective festival.

The new policy provides for committees at city, district and upazila levels to oversee religious education and management activities at model mosques. The mosques will offer Quran education, adult education, hifz programmes and maktab education for children. The responsibilities of mosque management committees include arranging Friday prayers, pre-khutbah and khutbah sessions, the five daily prayers, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha prayers, and funeral prayers. During Ramadan, the committees will also arrange for the appointment and accommodation of Quran memorizers to lead Tarawih prayers.