Nazim Hossain, IU

The construction of the central Masjid of the Islamic University (IU) has not been completed even after almost two and a half years of construction. Half of the work has been completed in three steps in the 28 years since it began. Due to a lack of funds, the construction work started in the third phase has been stopped for a year. 

The engineering office of the university said that about Tk 50 crore is still needed to complete the rest of the work. If the construction work is completed, the Central Mosque of Islamic University will be the largest institutional mosque in Bangladesh. But due to a lack of funds, the work has been stopped for almost a year.

In 1994, the construction work of the IU central mosque was inaugurated on the west side of the university with government funding covering an area of 2.25 hectares. After the start of the work, financial help came from abroad. However, as the money allocated for the mosque was spent in different sectors and was not properly utilized, the money was taken back by the foreign organization. in 2004 After 10 years when 36 percent of the work was completed, then Minister of Religion Musharraf Hossain Shahjahan opened the mosque for prayers. Then the work stopped. It was stated 13 long years later.

If the construction work is completed, 17,000 Muslim worshipers will be able to pray together in the mosque. A total of 7,000 worshipers can pray in the four-story main mosque, and another 10,000 worshipers can pray on the pavement in front of the mosque. According to the design, four minarets with a height of 150 feet will be installed around the wall of the mosque. There will be entrances on three sides of the mosque. Each entrance will have a dome. Besides, there will be a wide path from each faculty building to come to the mosque. A library and resource center are also proposed on the ground floor of the mosque.