Religious Affairs Minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Houssain (Kaikobad) on Monday said in Parliament that Bangladesh could achieve unprecedented success in poverty alleviation within eight to 10 years if eligible people properly paid zakat and the authorities distributed the funds through a planned system among the eight categories prescribed by Shariah.
The statement deserves a serious consideration. Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, is not merely an act of religious obligation; it can also serve as a powerful instrument of social welfare if managed transparently, efficiently and in accordance with Shariah.
At present, a significant portion of Zakat collection and distribution takes place through private initiatives. Individuals, mosques, madrasas, orphanages, charitable organisations and other institutions collect and distribute Zakat among people they consider eligible. At the same time, the government has its own Zakat Fund under the Islamic Foundation. Both systems are contributing to social welfare, but the absence of an effective coordination mechanism limits their collective impact.
This is where the government has an important responsibility. Rather than attempting to replace private Zakat initiatives, the Ministry of Religious Affairs should develop a framework that brings government and private efforts under a coordinated system while fully respecting religious principles and the autonomy of donors.
A reliable national Zakat framework could help identify genuine beneficiaries, reduce duplication and ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most. A central or interconnected database of eligible recipients, developed with appropriate safeguards for privacy and dignity, could prevent multiple institutions from providing assistance to the same individuals while others remain excluded.
The issue of proper collection is equally important. Many people who are religiously obligated to pay Zakat may calculate or distribute it independently. Others may lack adequate knowledge about the applicable rules. The government, Islamic scholars and financial institutions could jointly develop simple guidance and digital mechanisms to make Zakat calculation and payment easier, transparent and trustworthy.
Transparency will be essential. People will be willing to contribute to an organised Zakat system only when they are confident that their contributions will reach legitimate beneficiaries. Regular audits, public reporting, independent oversight and clear eligibility criteria can strengthen public confidence.
At the same time, Zakat should not become merely a mechanism for short-term handouts. Properly distributed, it can help poor families become economically self-reliant through education, vocational training, small businesses, livestock, agricultural activities and other income-generating opportunities. Such an approach would make Zakat a tool for breaking the cycle of poverty rather than simply providing temporary relief.
The government should therefore move beyond a fragmented approach and formulate a comprehensive national Zakat strategy in consultation with Islamic scholars, economists, financial institutions, charitable organisations and representatives of the private sector.
The reform committee’s recommendations for modernising the Islamic Foundation’s Zakat Fund provide an opportunity to establish such a framework. The goal should not be to centralise every Zakat donation, but to create coordination, accountability and efficiency between existing government and private initiatives.
If these two streams can be brought together through a trustworthy and well-designed mechanism, Zakat can make a far greater contribution to social welfare and poverty reduction. Bangladesh should seize this opportunity to transform an existing religious obligation into a more effective and organised instrument for building a more equitable society.
