PM has done a lot for Islam, Islamic scholars: Hasan

CHATTOGRAM, June 04 (BSS): Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said no previous governments had done what Awami League (AL) government led by Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has done for Islam and Islamic scholars (alem-ulama).

"There was a hundred-year demand of alem-ulama to establish an independent Islamic Arabic University. But no Arabic university was established during the British period and even in Pakistan period," he said.

In Bangladesh, BNP, along with Jamaat-e-Islami, was in power while Maulana Mannan was made religious minister during the Ershad regime, but Islamic university was not established, Hasan, also ruling Awami League (AL) joint general secretary, said, adding that the AL government has established the Islamic Arabic University under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The minister made the remarks while exchanging views with madrasa teachers and ulama at the Ranguniya upazila auditorium in the district.

Ranguniya Betagi Darbar-e-Astana Sharif Pir Golamur Rahman Ashraf Shah and Meheria Madrasa director Maulana Anas Madani addressed the meeting as special guests with AL upazila unit vice president Lokmanul Haque Talukder in the chair.

There was a demand for long for recognising Qawmi madrasas, Hasan said, adding that Begum Khaleda Zia was in power but she didn't fulfill the demand.

He said Maulana Ahmed Shafi met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the government of Awami League not only gave recognition to the certificates of Qawmi Madrasas but also provided jobs to the Qawmi alems.

The minister said about 0.1 million mosque-based maktabs have been established in the country and there are about 200 mosque-based maktabs in Rangunia upazila only, he said, adding that the alems of every maktab are getting Taka 5,200 as allowance.