Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager Md Mohiuddin Arif handed over the allotment papers to the management committees of the mosques and temple at a function held at the Railway Bhaban today. Photo : PID

DHAKA, Aug 27, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Railway has allotted land for two mosques and a temple in the capital's Joar Sahara Mouza in Khilkhet and Cantonment areas.

Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager Md Mohiuddin Arif handed over the allotment papers to the management committees of the mosques and temple at a function held at the Railway Bhaban today.

Of the allotted land, 0.2011 acre (8,760 sq ft) was allotted for Khilkhet Railway Jame Mosque in Joar Sahara Mouza under Dhaka Cantonment Police Station, 0.0552 acre (2,405 sq ft) for An-Noor Jame Mosque in the same Mouza, and 0.0562 acre (2,450 sq ft) for Khilkhet Sarbajanin Sri Sri Durga Temple in the same Mouza under Khilkhet Police Station.

The lands were allotted in exchange for the symbolic price determined by Bangladesh Railway.

Railway Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Religious Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain, Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and Railways Dr Sheikh Moinuddin, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Shafiqul Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Railways Md Fahimul Islam, and Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Afzal Hossain, among others, were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Railway Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said Bangladesh is a country of religious harmony.

"Communal harmony should be maintained among all religions. If anyone tries to destroy this harmony, they will not be spared. Strict legal action will be taken against them," he said.

Referring to the allocation of railway land to mosques and temples as a unique example of communal harmony, Religious Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain said Bangladesh is a role model of communal harmony and amity.

"Those who want to desecrate religious institutions or places of worship have no religious identity; they are miscreants and criminals," he said.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder highly appreciated this initiative of Bangladesh Railway.