Children using water fromtube wells, ensuring safedrink water

Shop and small enterprisesset up by CZM, for incomegeneration

Women training program on cow beef fattening

Dhaka, March 2011, Chaitra 1417, Rabius sani 1432 Issue No. 1

Chairman’s Message

Asslamualikum,

With the blessings of Almighty Allah, Center for Zakat Management is in its fourth year of operation. Since its inception in 2008, CZM has been relentlessly pursuing to spread awareness

regarding the religious obligation of Zakat, as prescribed by Quran and Sunnah. CZM has set up several programs on livelihood, education, entrepreneurship, and women welfare, all of which are implemented with Zakat fund received by CZM from individuals and business houses. This year CZM will take more initiatives to reach across to more people for & improve their lives through Zakat

CZM has been able to convince and motivate able Muslims to collectively work together with their Zakat money to make effective changes to the lives of the poor & needy.

We realize that our poverty scenario can be significantly changed if we look into our own resources, without having to look beyond.

Driven by the need to change the lives of the poor and needy, and inspired by the success of the previous years, CZM looks forward to taking up new challenges in 2011. I would like to invite all of you to join hands and make a meaningful difference with your Zakat fund.

Niaz RahimChairmanCenter for Zakat Management

‘Jeebika’, an integrated livelihood program, has made significant improvements in allivating poverty in the rural areas. Around 600 low income families are a part of this program, residing in the Mankigonj district.

The aim of the program is to provide a healthy amount of funds to a poor family, and allow the family to invest the fund in an income generating activity, such as poultry farming, cow beef fattening program, small business enterprises etc. CZM members monitor the activities and provide assistance in managing their money and business activities.

Along with financial assistance, the children of these families are given free education at school. Skill development training, health and sanitation awareness sessions, moral and religious education are also a part of this program.

Studies reveal that after three years of operations of the program, most low income families have managed to come out of the poverty cycle and are now self sufficient independent house holds.

The Jeebika program is now being opened in rural areas of Sylhet and Chittagong.

CZM Livelihood Programs: a milestone to way forward

A. K. Khan Foundation, the social services wing of A. K. Khan & Co. has recently signed an Memoradum of Understanding (MOU) with CZM, for the purpose of utilizing their Zakat money for alleviating poverty in the Chittagong area in an organized and planned manner through CZM. Under the MOU different programs such as livlihood, scholarship programs for the undergraduate level less privileged students, and welfare programs for the distressed children will be implemented through CZM. The MOU was signed by my Mr. Salauddin Kashem Khan, Trustee Secretary of A. K. Khan Foundation, and Dr. Mohammad Ayub Miah, CEO of CZM.

A. K. Khan SignsMOU with CZM

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Center for Zakat ManagementNewsletter

www.czm-bd.org

Center for Zakat Management Newsletter

Fifteen blue color workers, in Mankigonj districts, who were earning minimal wages, have turned their lives around, by becoming owners of small enterprises.

Most of these people were extremely poor workers, earning around 70 BDT a day. Now their income exceeds Tk. 5000 a month, and is increasing. Under the Mudareeb program of CZM, struggling individuals with minimal income are given sizeable funds to start their own businesses based on their preference and expertise.

A nascent business or an enterprise needs more than funds. Supervisors of the project provide, marketing ideas, fund management techniques and overall support to the assiduous entrepreneur for running the enterprise.

Now the enterprise owners are creating new jobs at their business, providing employment opportunities to local people. It is now clear that if poor people are given sizeable amounts of funds, which they do are not required to return, and provided with moral and technical support, these people may overcome their fate become a valuable part of society. Enterprises such as beef fattening farms, agriculture equipments, small shops and stores and other enterprises are now being successfully operated at Manikgonj.

From Blue Color Worker toEnterprise Owners

Genius Candidate Graduates

Top of His Class

The Shariah Supervisory Board (SSB) of CZM has approved all new Zakat based programs of Center for Zakat Management, for the year of 2011 during the SSB Meeting. The meeting was chaired by Mufti Kazi Ibrahim, a renowned Islamic Scholar. The members who attended the board meeting include Dr. Mohammad Manzur-E-Elahi, Dr. Ali Akkas, Mr. Mohammad Azharul Islam and Dr. Mohammad Ayub Miah, CEO of CZM. The objectives of the SSB is to ensure that all CZM activities fall within the guidelines of Islam and to point out and correct any aspect which may contradict the rules of Islam. The SSB has gone through all the proposed programs including livelihood, education, entrepreneurship, support to distressed children & women and has given their consent.

Shariah Supervisory Board Approves CZM Programs

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Mr. Habibur Rahaman, a Genius candidate, studying in the department of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology at University of Dhaka has graduated as the top student of his class. Not only has he secured the top position in his class, but he has also graduated as the top student in the entire Biological Science Faculty of University of Dhaka. Habibur Rahaman along with other students is a part of the Genius scholarship program, which is designed to support academically meritorious students who are financially

unsound. The Scholarship also provides counseling on various key issues such as leadership skills, time management and career building.

Habibur Rahaman, who lost his father at a very early age is the eldest son of his family. But he overcame all obstacles and pushed his way through life with utter courage and self determination. The Genius

program during the final year of his study, gave him the opportunity to concentrate his talents on education, without having to think of anything else. Now as a graduate from University of Dhaka, his aim to do research on system biology and to design drugs for complex diseases such as cancer.

It is unfortunate how brilliant young minds of our country fail to achieve their full potential, due to the lack of proper support. The goal of The CZM program is to find out these diamonds in the rough, nurture their talent and allow them to achieve their dreams.

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Destitute Children Make Way to SchoolIt is reported that around 1.2 crore people live in Dhaka Metropolitan areas where 28.4 lakh people languish in around 4,300, slums in Dhaka city, and most children living in these slums will not be able to go to schools and will thus end up uneducated. Around 5 million children are orphans in Bangladesh and their situation is no better.

Targeting this problem, CZM has opened a program for children living in the slum areas, on the streets, orphans and children who were abandoned by their parents. The program named Gulbagicha, which means Garden of Flowers, brings together destitute children, providing them with education up to class ten in different parts of Bangladesh. Along with that children are also given nutritious food packets, to combat the malnourishment the children usually suffer from. Included in this project is a program for students for Hifzul Quran, students who will memorize

the Quran by heart. To enable students to become more independent, students are also thought various trades and crafts. This project stated initially with 100 children from the Mirpur Slum Area, with pre primary education. In 2011 CZM will sponsor more than 2000 children providing them education from the pre primary level up to high school.

CZM has extended its support towards unfortunate individuals, such as victims of natural calamities; patients suffering from sickness & other wounded and physically impaired individuals.

Under the Insaniat program, CZM has helped the recovery of many people during the last year, most of whom have made a recovery from their condition. CZM also provides help in kind, such as distributing food materials and other items of necessity to different areas of high poverty.

The high poverty rate in Bangladesh, puts thousands of people on a constant struggle with hunger, illness and disease every year. The Insaniat program aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these people, something which would be hard to achieve on an individual level.

Humanatarian Assistance Extended to Victims

‘Zakat can play an important role in the economy of Bangladesh, in uplifting the present poverty situation, provided that it is disbursed in an organized and planned manner’, said Sheikh Tofique Chowdhury, an Islamic scholar from the Islamic University of Medinah. He highlighted the different virtues of zakat, which has the potential to decrease the income inequality, which ensures more economic harmony and sustainable development.

Clearing all misconceptions on Zakat, he said that the aim of Zakat was to empower the poor, which should be the focus of CZM. The program was chaired by Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Former Advisor to the Goverment of Bangladesh. Mr. Chowdhury is also an advisor to CZM.

Present also at the program was Dr. Mohammad Ayub Miah, Chief Executive Officer of CZM. Dr. Ayub spoke of the different programs CZM, such livelihood, entrepreneurship, education and humanitarian assistance program which are all administered through Zakat, given to CZM by willing individuals. The program ended with a vote of thanks by the chairman ofCZM Mr. Niaz Rahim.

Knowledge Sharing Session on Zakat

Free Clinics ProvideTreatment & Medicine

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Under the Ferdausi Women Welfare program, CZM has set up clinics to distribute free medicines and provide treatment to women and children.

Women folk, especially the ones residing in rural areas, are deprived of proper treatment and health care facilities. Children living in low income families also suffer from similar situation.

Believing that a healthy mother rears a healthy child, CZM has opened facilities for free distribution of treatment and medicine. Professional Doctors provide their expert advice at the clinic which is located at the heart of the project area, making it convenient for people to visit the facility.

A medical officer, who is also works at the clinic, makes door to door visit making sure people take their proper medication, maintain a nutritious diet and maintain a hygienic and clean environment for their children. More such clinics will soon be set up in different slum areas of Bangladesh.

www.czm-bd.org

Published by: Center for Zakat Management, House-16, Road-13, Block-G, Niketon Gulshan, Dhaka-1212 Phone: 8828255, Fax: 88410664, e-mail: info@czm-bd.org

MOU With Various Schools

Speakers from the United States, Malaysia and Kuwait gave their valued opinion on Zakat, at a Conference at Dhaka. The Seminar was held on August 7th, at Bangabandhu International Conference Center, with business leaders, social activists, academicians and religious leaders and other guests.

Professor Kabir Hasan, Faculty at University of New Orleans, USA and an advocate of Islamic finance discussed in detail the importance and necessity of Zakat from an economic perspective. Dr. Roosly Bin Yaqoop, Managing Director of Hajj Finance Company in Dhaka shared his experience on institutionalizing Zakat in Malaysia.

Dr. Methat Attia, Director General Society of Social Reform of Kwuait also gave his valued opinion on the importance of Zakat. Dr. Mohammad Ayub Miah, CEO of CZM talked about CZM’s initiatives and programs in Bangladesh. The audience was deeply impressed upon learning about the different actions and measures taken in different countries of utilizing Zakat for

Speakers From Three CountriesDeliberate on Zakat

One of the main objectives of CZM is to raise awareness amongst people on Zakat. To fulfill this aim CZM has published different books, which cover all topics on Zakat. The books are

distributed among people which answers all their questions and queries on this subject. The books are 1) A Guide to Zakat: The book covers all fundamental issues on Zakat 2) Zakat Sohaiyaka: This book in Bangla, is a more comprehensive, with a more detailed discussion.3) Business Zakat: Describes the concept of calculating Zakat on BusinessAll the books are available at CZM office and anyone interested can collect the books simply by contacting CZM.

Books on ZakatPublished by CZM

Please contact:Center for Zakat Management (CZM)

House-16, Road-13, Block-G, Niketon Gulshan, Dhaka-1212 Phone: 8828255, Fax: 88410664, E-mail: info@czm-bd.org

www.czm-bd.org

Zakat is obligatory for every wealthy MuslimIf you like our programs and you are willing

to make a difference with your Zakat

Have you paid your Zakat this year?

New Jeebika program, the integrated livelihood program of CZM, is starting off in the rural areas of Chittagong and Shylet district. The Jeebika Kornofuli program which will be sponsored by the A K Khan Foundation will provide monetary support, pre primary education, health and sanitation facilities to 300 low income families living in the Mohra region of Chittagong. The Jeebika Surma program will start off in the Khadim Nogor area of Sylhet. This program is sponsored by Khadim Ceramics. 60 low income families will be supported through this program and more families will become a part of this program in the near future.

Jeebika Program Starts inChittagong and Sylhet

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CZM under the Gulbagicha program has signed MOU with different schools and institutions which provide education facilities to poor and destitute children. CZM will provide all education costs of these children and help them become educated and enlightened individuals. The institutions are Sreepur Shishu Polli Plus : Provides education to 300 poor and homeless childrenWASAQ Academy: Provides education to 462 slum childrenMirpur Gulbagicha School : Provides education to 100 children living in the slum area Faridpur Muslim Mission: CZM will support the education of 254 orphans studying at this school Bauniabad Islamia Madrasha and Orphanage : CZM will support the

O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. Surah Bakarah, Ayath 254