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Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad has said that Model Mosques and Islamic Cultural Centres are being used as the primary platform to help protect young people from religious extremism, misinformation and social division in parts of Brahmanbaria.
The minister made the remarks in Parliament on Monday while responding to a written question from Brahmanbaria-2 MP Rumin Farhana during the question-and-answer session of the 23rd sitting of the second and first budget session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.
The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaisar Kamal.
In her question, Rumin Farhana sought details of government measures to promote religious awareness and communal harmony among young people in Sarail-Ashuganj and parts of Bijoynagar Upazila to counter religious extremism and social polarisation.
Replying to the question, the minister said the government is committed to preserving peace, communal harmony and the country’s non-communal values.
To achieve this goal, the Islamic Foundation has been implementing a range of awareness programmes across the region.
He said local Islamic scholars, imams and khatibs are actively involved in delivering Friday sermons, organising religious seminars and holding community meetings to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of extremism, rumours and misinformation while promoting moral values and peaceful coexistence.
Kaikobad also said interfaith dialogue and harmony programmes involving leaders from different religious communities are being organised regularly to strengthen mutual respect and social cohesion.
The government is considering expanding these awareness, moral education and social harmony initiatives for young people in consultation with the local Member of Parliament, he added.
The minister further said the Hindu Religious Welfare Trust provides specialised training for priests and temple caretakers to support public awareness and social harmony, while the Christian Religious Welfare Trust regularly organises ethics and values-based workshops for students and young people.
He also announced that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is preparing a major new project titled “Promotion of Religious Harmony and Public Awareness”, aimed at strengthening interfaith understanding, preventing extremism and fostering peaceful coexistence across the country.