Independent MP Rustam Ali Faraji yesterday demanded that a mosque be built on the parliament premises for lawmakers, officials and others to offer Jum’a prayers on Friday.
During an unscheduled discussion, he requested Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah, who was in chair, to take steps in this regard.
The deputy speaker expressed solidarity with the demand from religious point of view. But he doubted whether it would be possible to set up the mosque considering the parliament complex’s architectural design.
The parliament’s main building has a huge space for offering prayers. But there is no Jame mosque inside the compound.
“Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country where 90% people are Muslims, and it is our obligation to pray,” Faraji, a lawmaker from Pirojpur 3 constituency, said.
He also asked the deputy speaker not to ignore the issue in the name of preserving architectural design of the complex as “there are many establishments already set up ignoring the Louis I Khan’s design.”
In response, Fazle Rabbi said he did not want to evade the issue. “As it is a matter of religious sentiment, I will place it before the leader of the house, the speaker and the Parliament Secretariat.”
