Model mosque project faces cost probe

The government will investigate allegations of irregularities and cost escalation in the construction of model mosques across the country, with inquiries
to be conducted on a mosque-by-mosque basis, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad told Parliament on Monday.

Responding to a supplementary question during the question-and-answer session, the minister said the government would instruct the relevant ministry to examine how the estimated construction cost of each model mosque increased from Tk 13 crore to Tk 21 crore.

“Other government agencies may also be involved in this inquiry,” he said.
Salahuddin answered the question on behalf of Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad.

The issue was raised by MP Zainul Abdin Farroque, who alleged that the model mosque in Senbagh, his constituency, was already showing signs of structural deterioration, including water leakage and poor accessibility. He called for an investigation into the project.

Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal also expressed concern over the condition of a model mosque in Durgapur under his constituency, saying access to the mosque was difficult due to a large pond in front of the building.

“There is a huge pond in front, and the model mosque is behind it. A bridge is needed to reach it. Locals have nicknamed it the ‘Taj Mahal of Durgapur’,” he said.

Replying to the concerns, Salahuddin alleged that the previous Awami League government had undertaken projects primarily to facilitate the misuse of public funds.

“The model mosque is a very good initiative, but whether the project estimates were appropriate is a legitimate question. Costs rose from Tk 13 crore to Tk 21 crore,” he said.

The minister also referred to a white paper prepared under the leadership of economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, saying it had observed that large development budgets and mega projects created opportunities for large-scale corruption.

According to Salahuddin, implementation periods for projects were extended from five years to seven years, while project costs increased substantially through repeated revisions and time extensions.

Responding to a separate question from MP Shahjahan Chowdhury (Chattogram-15), Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad said Bangladesh has 537,550.98 acres of registered waqf property, of which 27.53 acres have so far been recovered from illegal occupation.