A day-long Zakat Conference–2026 was held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
It was jointly organized by MASTUL Foundation and Al Zakat Sadaqah Foundation. The conference brought together renowned Islamic scholars from home and
abroad, several government advisers, secretaries and senior officials,
social workers, representatives of private organizations, development
experts, academicians, doctors, as well as donors and well-wishers of
MASTUL Foundation.
Following its tradition, this year marked the 7th edition of the Zakat Conference, jointly arranged by MASTUL Foundation and Al Zakat Sadaqah Foundation.
The chief guests of the three sessions included Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain, Honorable Adviser to the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports; M. A. Akmal Hossain Azad, Member (Senior Secretary), Physical Infrastructure Division, Planning Commission; Islamic scholar and Director of the Center for Islamic Studies, Daffodil International University, Shaykh Professor Dr. Md. Mokhtar Ahmad; Shaykh Professor Dr. Mohammad Imam Hossain, Professor of Arabic, National University; and Shaykh Mufti Masum Billah, Chairman, Shariah Advisory and Research Council. Special guests included Abdul Salam Khan, Director General of Islamic Foundation; Saidur Rahman Khan, Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief; A. B. M. Sadekur Rahman, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; Md. Kalam Uddin Biswas, Director General(Additional Secretary), Department of Social Services; Md. Daud Mia (NDC), Director General, NGO Affairs Bureau; Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice Chancellor, North South University; Professor Dr. Kamrul Ahsan, Vice Chancellor, University of Asia Pacific; Professor Dr. Md. Shamsul Alam, Vice Chancellor, Islamic Arabic University; Manwar Hossain Moinul, Managing Director, KGSM Group; Engineer Mohammad Nazmul Islam, Managing Director, Frabik Label Limited; Kamrul Hasan, Managing Director, Day Tempete Limited IT Solutions; and Faizul Rahman Khan, Director, BTI Limited. Prominent Islamic speakers included Dr. Mufti Waliur Rahman Khan, Muhaddith, Islamic Foundation; Shaikh Rezaul Karim Abrar, Chief Mufti, Jamia Mahmudia; Shaikh Mufti Ahsanul Islam (CSAA); and Shaikh Mufti Jubayer Abdullah Nabi, among others.
The core objective of Zakat Conference 2026 was to highlight the effectiveness, potential, and practical application of Zakat in poverty alleviation and humanitarian development. The conference also aimed to raise public awareness about the obligation and importance of Zakat, promote correct Zakat practices, discuss Zakat calculation and assessment, explore modern applications of Zakat, ensure transparency and accountability in Zakat distribution, and strengthen the capacity of Zakat-collecting and distributing institutions through a dedicated workshop.
Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports,said:“Zakat is a very important obligation in Islam. Many people are still not fully aware of it, and if we fail to raise awareness among them, the responsibility remains upon us. MASTUL Foundation has organized such an initiative, and by attending this conference I myself have learned many new things. At the same time, I congratulate MASTUL Foundation for the courageous role it has played in supporting the oppressed people of Gaza through Zakat and other donations. I also appeal to the affluent members of society and government officials who can support MASTUL Foundation in various ways related to Zakat to come forward and extend their cooperation.”
Shaykh Mufti Masum Billah, Chairman of the Shariah Advisory and Research Council, said: “The poor have a rightful claim over the wealth of the affluent. If this right is not fulfilled, the entire wealth remains impure. Through today’s Zakat Conference, MASTUL Foundation has delivered a powerful message of raising awareness among the capable to purify their wealth and to ensure the rights of the poor, which undoubtedly deserves praise. Everyone should cooperate with the work that MASTUL Foundation is carrying out through Zakat.
Founder and Executive Director of MASTUL Foundation, Kazi Reaz Rahman, stated in his address: “All our efforts are solely for attaining the pleasure of Almighty Allah. Through proper and transparent utilization of Zakat funds, MASTUL Foundation is continuously working to improve the living standards and prosperity of the underprivileged. We firmly believe that if those upon whom Zakat is obligatory fulfill this duty responsibly and correctly, poverty will one day be eradicated from society, Insha’Allah.”
