Mohammad Ismail Zabiullah, the prime minister’s public-administration adviser, said 256,074 people working at religious institutions will receive monthly government honoraria in fiscal year 2026-27.
He made the announcement at a meeting at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Dhaka on August 4.
Zabiullah said Tk 11 billion has been allocated to the programme in the 2026-27 budget.
The announced coverage includes 247,968 workers at 82,656 mosques.
It also includes 6,000 workers at 3,000 temples, 1,504 at 752 Buddhist viharas, and 602 at 301 churches, he said.
Imams, Hindu priests, heads of Buddhist viharas and church priests are set to receive Tk 5,000 per month.
Muezzins, temple attendants, deputy heads of Buddhist viharas and assistant priests are set to receive Tk 3,000 a month.
Mosque caretakers are set to receive Tk 2,000 monthly.
Each beneficiary will also receive a Tk 2,000 annual festival allowance, Zabiullah said.
He said payments are planned through beneficiaries’ bank accounts or mobile financial services, depending on their needs.
The government plans to extend the programme to all religious institutions over four years, beginning with about one-quarter of institutions in its first year, he said.
Zabiullah said a 2025-26 pilot paid honoraria to 13,949 workers at 6,017 selected religious institutions.