Increasing salaries of imams, muezzins

Almost every mosque in Bangladesh is run by a management committee. Usually, this committee decides on how much an imam or muezzin of a mosque would be paid as salaries. Although they carry out their duties religiously every day, they are paid a meagre amount as remuneration with which they face difficulties to survive the ongoing price hike and inflation. Those who are employed in rural mosques are the worst victims of this situation. Mosque management committees do not follow the government's guideline and continue to deprive them.

Imams and muezzins are helping our society by imparting their knowledge and bringing people to the path of religion. But they do not get a good amount of money as their remuneration. No basic salaries are determined for them like other professionals. Most of them usually get Tk 10,000 to Tk 15,000 in city mosques, whereas those working in rural mosques hardly receive Tk 5,000. So, it is really hard for them to survive. In other Muslim countries, imams and muezzins get basic salary plus some benefits. In Bangladesh, if they were entitled to other allowances, they could lead a better life. So, it is time the government and the committee of every mosque to address the issue and do the needful.

Sirazi Shahjahan,

Malibagh, Dhaka,

mshaju001@gmail.com