Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on December 26, 2001, the Saudi Finance Ministry was to provide Tk 26 crore to the Islamic Foundation.

The project envisages construction of a 160 foot high minaret on the mosque's southern wing, large eastern yard or 'sahan,' a basement and a 40 foot high canopy covering the eastern side.

"Tenders have been floated and a consultant has also been appointed but the Islamic Foundation is unable to get on with the job. The plan has been revised at the insistence of the foundation's governors and religious affairs parliamentary standing committee," a source at the Islamic Foundation preferring anonymity told Star City.

Both the JS body and board of the governors want to build a 350 foot high minaret and three basements instead. Moreover, the chairman of the parliamentary committee, has opposed a canopy at the eastern 'sahan' saying, "It would block the view and be in conflict with the architectural design of the mosque."

According to the source, the Ministry of Religious Affairs on November 1, 2000 asked the Islamic Foundation for a proposal to beautify and expand the national mosque with Saudi assistance. And three weeks later they submitted a draft with estimated cost of Tk 150 crore to the ministry.

It proposed to expand the 'sahan,' construct a 160 foot high minaret and a single basement. Before the project got to the table, the previous government decided to give the mosque a massive 350 foot high minaret and establish 302 shops around the complex instead.

But just as the foundation of the minaret was laid, the BNP-led coalition came to power in October 2001 and so the project's remaining components had to be shelved.

"The BNP produced a White Paper that found gross anomalies committed in both the planning and implementation of the project," the source added.

It was alleged that the foundation's former DG Syed Ashraf Ali, in signing the MoU, had breached certain protocols by keeping officials at the Religious Affairs Ministry and Economic Relations Division (ERD) in the dark.

Furthermore, Ashraf Ali was believed to have written to the Saudi finance officials asking them to transfer necessary funds to their embassy in Dhaka for disbursement later.

Recently his successor AZM Shamsul Alam, who was appointed last October, submitted the plan to the board of the governors.

Though insiders said, the plan was never unveiled before the governors, which discussed the project in three meetings, and decided go ahead with a 350-foot high minaret, three basements under the extended ground floor and a giant canopy.

After careful review the project's cost was slashed to Tk 60 crore. The foundation then sent the revised plan to Saudi government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs on January 29.

"As there has been no response from Riyadh, in that case State Minister for Religious Affairs Mosharref Hossain Shahjahan will shortly lead a four-member delegation to the Saudi capital in an effort to obtain funding," the source said.

"We are hopeful that the Saudi government will accept our proposal and then beautification of the mosque will proceed," said Shamsul Alam.

The foundation DG also wants to construct a 25-storied building without changing the grand mosque's structural integrity.

"Baitul Mukarram is grossly under-utilised. It could easily have 25-storied towers on three sides. And on each one a 150-foot high minaret could be built. That would make it one of the world's most beautiful mosques."

The grand old mosque was built in 1960.