Rajshahi, Oct 26 (V7N) – A 45-day regular imam training course for the 1,236th batch was inaugurated at the Imam Training Academy in Rajshahi on Sunday, October 25.
Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Md Mahfuzur Rahman Riton inaugurated the course as the chief guest at a ceremony held at the academy’s auditorium.
Addressing the event, Riton said Islamic scholars, imams and muezzins play an important role in spreading religious education, promoting morality and upholding religious and social values.
He said it was the moral responsibility of everyone to ensure that they receive due respect and dignity. Referring to alleged harassment and persecution over religious identity during the past 17 years, he urged vigilance to ensure that no one faces discrimination or abuse because of their religious identity in the future.
Riton also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s 31-point plan for reforming the state structure was not merely a proposal to change state institutions but also a roadmap for establishing people's rights, dignity, democracy and justice.
“The main goal of the 31-point plan is to build a Bangladesh where every citizen, regardless of religion or ethnicity, can live with equal rights and dignity,” he said.
The programme was chaired by Dr Md Asem Ali, deputy director of the Imam Training Academy in Rajshahi.
Speaking as a special guest, A K M Mujahidul Islam, divisional director of the Islamic Foundation in Rajshahi, praised the city corporation administrator’s initiatives to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities and expand opportunities for athletes alongside infrastructure development.
He said standing beside disadvantaged people and creating opportunities for them to become self-reliant were important aspects of humane development. Such initiatives, he added, could help make Rajshahi a more inclusive, people-friendly and compassionate city.
Imams from various mosques attended the programme.
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