Government Allocates Tk 200 Million for Mosques, Graveyards and Eidgahs in Opposition Constituencies

The government has allocated nearly Tk 200 million from the Prime Minister’s discretionary fund for the development of mosques, graveyards and Eidgahs in parliamentary constituencies represented by opposition lawmakers, Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told Parliament on Monday.

Speaking under Rule 300 in the Jatiya Sangsad, the minister said the allocation currently excludes constituencies that fall under city corporations. However, he added that those areas would also receive funding at a later stage.

"The Prime Minister has approved nearly Tk 200 million from her discretionary fund for mosques, graveyards and Eidgahs in the constituencies of opposition members of Parliament, excluding those under city corporations," the minister said.

Following his remarks, Saiful Alam Milon, MP for Dhaka-12, sought permission to speak but was not granted the floor by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. The Speaker instead allowed the Local Government Minister to clarify that city corporation areas would receive similar allocations through district councils in the future.

Addressing the House, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed reflected on his own experience as an opposition lawmaker.

"I spent 40 years in this Parliament. I also served as an opposition member, but I never received a single penny. I was arrested five times and sent to jail—that was all I got," he said.

The Speaker also noted that, due to his constitutional role, he is unable to raise the development issues of his own constituency in Bhola. Earlier in the session, the Leader of the Opposition had proposed several development initiatives for the district, for which the Speaker expressed his appreciation.