Dhaka, March 16,2023:  Killing in the name of Islam is not acceptable, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday, stressing that no one gives authority to anyone to punish or kill another person for not following a particular religion.

“Allah gives us lives, and He has the supreme authority to give lives and take lives, killing is against the Quran,” she said, adding that those who believe in Islam genuinely must have tolerance towards other religions.

“In Bangladesh, all religions have the same rights, people will perform their respective religious rituals, Allah will judge everything (on the Doomsday). He does not give that right to any human, all have to remember that,” she said.

Hasina also slammed the businessmen who hike prices of commodities during Ramadan.

“It’s very much regretful, this is happening just for few people, why we will accept that? During Ramadan, profit-mongers increase the prices, making people suffer. This should not happen. Holy Ramadan is coming, we know that during this month, some businesspeople try to hike prices of the essentials,” she said during the inauguration of 50 model mosques along with Islamic cultural centres in parts of the country in the third phase of the programme.

Inaugurating the mosques joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban, Hasina said that the holy month of Ramadan is the time for austerity and all have to pay attention to ensure people can do their religious activities properly during the month.

She also said that her government has already distributed special cards for the low-income group people, and is providing rice at lower price (TK 30 per kg) after buying that at higher price.

“Keeping the holy Ramadan in mind, the government will provide Tk 15 per kg of rice to additional one crore people,” she said, adding that for those who are not eligible for work, the government is providing 20 kg of rice each month.

“Like this way we are giving people rice, edible oil, lentil, sugar and other necessary items at fair price through fair price cards,” she said.

The Prime Minister also urged the affluent people to extend their assistance towards the needy people during Ramadan.

She requested all to remain vigil so that none can adulterate food, resort to hoarding, black marketeering and create an artificial crisis of essentials items.

In this connection, she urged Imams to speak about this during their sermons after Friday prayers. “Food adulteration, hoarding, and black marketeering are illegal and unnecessary give sufferings to people. You should speak on these matters more to the people, and you can say during the Khutba to make people aware regarding this,” she said.

Later, she exchanged views with a cross-section of people of Agoiljhara of Barishal, Fulbaria of Mymensingh and Tetulia of Panchagarh. A documentary on the model mosques was screened at the programme.

PM Hasina inaugurated 100 model mosques in the first and second phases, on June 10, 2021 and January 16, 2023, respectively, out of total 564 across the country. The project aims at spreading the true messages of Islam for removing misconceptions about religion.