Khalid Hossain: Imam-muezzin salary structure to be gazetted soon

AFM Khalid Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, announced that the salary structure for imams and muezzins has been finalized and will soon be sent to the Cabinet for approval and gazetting.

"The pay structure will align with the 2015 pay scale," he said.

The announcement was made during his speech as the chief guest at an imam-muezzin training program organized by the Islamic Foundation’s Barisal Divisional Office at the Imam Training Academy, Barisal Centre on Tuesday afternoon.

Khalid Hossain added that proposals for housing and festival allowances for imams and muezzins have also been introduced.

“If implemented, these initiatives will improve their quality of life,” he said.

The adviser highlighted additional measures to support imams and muezzins, including interest-free loans to start businesses.

He urged them to pursue self-reliance, offering examples of viable business ventures. Furthermore, he assured that financial aid would be provided to imams and muezzins suffering from severe illnesses, which would not require repayment.

Addressing unity within the Muslim community, Khalid Hossain said: “When false statements are made, it breaks our hearts. Division exists in other religions too — Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians — but we don’t hear of them fighting and killing each other. Such behaviour tarnishes our reputation abroad.”

He emphasized that the government is committed to reforming the country, saying: "Once the reforms are complete, we will hand over power to elected representatives and step aside."

Stressing the importance of unity, he said: "Every citizen has equal rights, and the Bangladesh government is dedicated to protecting those rights."