As part of BNP's election pledge to provide monthly honorariums and festival allowances to religious leaders of different faiths, the government has decided to launch the programme for khatibs, imams and muezzins of mosques before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.

The decision was taken at a meeting on strengthening religious and social harmony, held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the city's Tejgaon area.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting, attended by concerned ministers, state ministers and senior officials.

Later, Prime Minister's Adviser Mahdi Amin disclosed the information while briefing the journalists in front of the PMO about the Prime Minister's first day activities at the PMO.

He said the Prime Minister worked for the first time at the PMO today, noting that Tarique Rahman came to the office like an ordinary citizen and even waited at traffic signals on the way.

Before entering the main building of the office, the premier planted a 'Swarna Chapa' flower sapling, Mahdi Amin said, adding, and then Tarique Rahman exchanged greetings with the officers and staff of the office.

Many of them had previously worked there with the Prime Minister's mother and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, he said, adding, Tarique Rahman addressed many of them by name.

Afterwards, the premier held separate meetings with the concerned ministers and secretaries on implementing election pledges, the adviser said, adding, in the first meeting, discussions were held on fulfilling the commitment to provide monthly honorariums and festival allowances to khatibs, imams and muezzins of various mosques, as well as religious leaders of other faiths.

Under the Prime Minister's directive, he said, the meeting decided that preparations would be taken to start the programme in phases before the upcoming Eid.

Mahdi Amin assured that in some areas, the honorarium would begin to be disbursed before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.

In response to a question about how much money would be provided, he said a committee has been formed to take the decision on the matter.

Who would receive it first and how it would be disbursed would be determined through a technical team and inter-ministerial discussions, Mahdi Amin said, adding, members of the committee would provide details later.

At the briefing, he further said that another meeting was on establishing a cheerful and career-oriented education system, creating employment opportunities, and expanding sports infrastructure and training facilities.

The meeting discussed creating merit-based and discrimination-free employment across the country which is a major election pledge of the BNP, the adviser said, adding, necessary reforms would be introduced in the education system to increase skills in government and private jobs, opportunities for entrepreneurship and manpower export.

Mahdi Amin also said that discussions were held on carrying out necessary deregulation in business, commerce and industrial policies, prioritizing technical and vocational education, and strengthening coordination with Bangladeshi embassies abroad and foreign embassies in Bangladesh to enhance the skills of Bangladeshi workers overseas.

He mentioned that implementation of election pledges would begin within a short time.

During the briefing, Press Secretary Saleh Shibli said that today was Tarique Rahman's third working day as the Prime Minister.

Although Saturday is a weekly holiday, the premier spent a busy day at work, the press secretary said, adding, Tarique Rahman discussed with the concerned officials how to implement the party's manifesto announced before the election and programmes aimed at improving the living standards of the people.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam and Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon were present on the occasion.