Staff Correspondent:

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin has highlighted the vital role of Zakat in establishing social justice.

The adviser made the remarks at a seminar titled “The Role of Islamic Social Finance in Economic Empowerment and Human Development” held at the Aloki Convention Center in the capital on Saturday afternoon.

He also highlighted Zakat’s significance and positive impact on the global social system.

He said that one of the most effective methods of wealth distribution is Zakat. People should be encouraged to pay Zakat, and its impact should be visible in society.

The adviser said that Zakat is a transfer process for poverty alleviation. If there is leadership without ethics, there will be no balanced distribution of wealth. “We want a balanced society – we want moral leadership.”

He mentioned that if the taxation system does not work properly in a free-market economy, social justice cannot be ensured. Nowadays, a person’s success is judged by their consumption capacity, but their self-respect, dignity, and social responsibility are not taken into account.

He also pointed out that many young lives were sacrificed in the July Uprising to eliminate inequality in society, yet inequality still persists. “To eradicate it, we need a balanced distribution of wealth. As regulators, we must implement our moral and religious responsibilities in a coordinated manner,” he added.

Under the chairmanship of Hossain Zillur Rahman, Adviser to the former Caretaker Government, World Zakat and Waqf Secretary General Datuk Dr. Mohammad Ghazali Noor spoke as the guest of honour.

Earlier, the Commerce Adviser inaugurated the 13th Zakat Fair 2025.

The Centre for Zakat Management (CZM) organised the 2-day Zakat Fair. The fair will be open to everyone until 7 pm on Sunday (February 23).