Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said that poverty in Bangladesh could be significantly reduced within 10 to 15 years if Zakat is distributed in a planned and systematic manner.
He made the remarks while addressing an iftar mahfil hosted in honour of orphan children and Islamic scholars (Ulama-Mashayekh) at the state guest house Jamuna in the evening.
The Prime Minister said Islamic teachings encourage distributing Zakat in a way that enables recipients to become self-reliant so that they may not need assistance again the following year.
Experts also believe that structured and transparent Zakat management can play a transformative role in eliminating poverty, he added.
Citing estimates, Tarique Rahman said that the annual Zakat collection in Bangladesh is believed to exceed Tk20,000-25,000 crore, with some reports suggesting even higher amounts.
He proposed identifying poor and extremely poor families and distributing Tk1 lakh annually to 5 lakh families on a rotational basis.
According to him, such an approach could gradually reduce dependency on continuous support.
He suggested restructuring the existing Zakat Board under the Ministry of Religious Affairs by involving leading Islamic scholars, government officials and other stakeholders to ensure effective management.
He said Bangladesh has the potential to become a model in the Muslim world by using Zakat as a tool for poverty alleviation.
Referring to Ramadan, the Prime Minister described it as a month of mercy, sacrifice and self-discipline.
However, he expressed concern that some people raise prices of essential commodities during this period, turning it into a season of profit-making rather than compassion.
He urged traders to refrain from unethical practices that cause hardship to people.
He also noted that due to the current economic situation and austerity measures in areas such as gas, electricity and fuel, the government organised only two iftar gatherings this Ramadan, compared to more frequent events in previous years.
Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain Kaikobad, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, Whip of Jatiya Sangsad Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, Chairman of As-Sunnah Foundation Shaykh Ahmadullah, Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti Abdul Malek, Prime Minister's Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr A K M Shamsul Islam, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, Press Secretary Saleh Shibly, and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, among others, were also present at the iftar mahfil.
.jpg "Bangladesh records 4 more measles-related deaths in past 24 hours")
