The government has issued the “Model Mosque Management Policy-26” to ensure that model mosques function not only as places of worship but also as centres for religious education, public awareness and social welfare activities.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued the gazette notification on September 24, outlining guidelines for mosque management, recruitment and remuneration of personnel, religious education programmes, financial management, discipline and security.
Under the policy, a Pesh Imam of a model mosque will receive a monthly honorarium of 20,000 taka, while a Muezzin will receive 15,000 taka and a Khadem 12,000 taka. Honorariums for Khatibs and security guards will be fixed on a contractual basis.
However, mosque committees with sufficient financial capacity may provide salaries and allowances to personnel according to the prescribed pay grades under the Mosque Management Policy-26.
The post of Imam has been placed under Grade 10, while Muezzin and Khadem posts have been placed under Grade 16 and Grade 18 respectively. Khatib and security guard posts will remain contractual.
The policy requires Khatibs and other personnel at model mosques to perform their duties as custodians of the mosques with trustworthiness, honesty, piety and sincerity.
They will not be allowed to actively participate in the activities of any political party and cannot leave their workplaces without authorised leave.
The policy also provides for festival allowances on Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. Personnel covered under Article 7 may receive a festival allowance equivalent to their honorarium for the month preceding the respective Eid.
Under the new policy, committees will be formed at city, district and upazila levels to organise and manage mosque-based religious education programmes.
Model mosques are expected to offer Quran education, adult education, hifz programmes and maktab education for children.
Mosque management committees will arrange Friday prayers, pre-khutba and khutba sessions, the five daily prayers, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha prayers and funeral prayers.
During Ramadan, the committees will arrange the appointment and accommodation of huffaz to lead Tarawih prayers.
The committees must ensure the sanctity, discipline, security and cleanliness of the mosques. They will also undertake necessary development and renovation work, prepare and implement annual work plans and prepare budgets.
They will maintain and supervise records of mosque income and expenditure, as well as cash and movable and immovable assets.
The policy requires committees to maintain meeting minutes and attendance records, conduct annual audits of accounts and undertake income-generating activities for the mosques.
All mosque income must be deposited into the mosque's bank account within a maximum of seven days.
The committees will also organise prayers, supplications and religious programmes on special days declared by the government.