Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baqi, the chief imam of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, has been appointed as the new Director General (Grade-1) of the Islamic Foundation. The appointment was announced on Thursday through a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration. For the first time in Bangladesh, a professional Islamic scholar and mosque imam has been appointed to such a high administrative position. Under the Islamic Foundation Act of 1975, he will serve on a one-year contractual basis, effective from the date of joining, subject to leaving all other professional or institutional affiliations.

Mufti Baqi is known as a moderate scholar and Islamic researcher, educated in Qawmi, Alia, and general education systems. He studied at Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari, Darul Ulum Nadwatul Ulama in India, and the Department of Arabic at the University of Dhaka, where he earned first-class results in all degrees, including topping his master’s program.

He has taught at the International Islamic University Chittagong and other institutions, served as imam and khatib at major mosques, and held key roles in Shariah supervisory boards of several banks. He is fluent in Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, English, and Bengali.