Dhaka: The government has appointed Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baki, the pesh imam of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, as the Director General (DG) of the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Thursday night, confirming his appointment to the post for one year on a contractual basis. Muhibbullahil Baki will succeed Abdus Salam Khan, a Senior District and Sessions Judge, marking a notable shift as a religious scholar assumes this position for the first time.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the appointment of Muhibbullahil Baki signifies a departure from the tradition of appointing senior officials from the administration cadre, judges, or other high-ranking government officers to the role of Director General. The notification specifies that his appointment will be effective from the date of his joining, contingent upon him relinquishing any other professional engagements or positions he currently holds.
Muhibbullahil Baki’s academic journey includes studies at Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Uloom Moinul Islam-Hathazari, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in India, and the Department of Arabic at Dhaka University. He achieved first-class honors in Kamil (Alia system), Dawra-e-Hadith (Qawmi system), and postgraduate studies at the university level. His previous roles include serving as the pesh imam at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and Andarkilla Shahi Jame Mosque in Chattogram, as well as khatib at several prominent mosques nationwide. Additionally, he has held the position of Secretary General of the Central Shariah Council for Islamic Banks of Bangladesh.