Leaders of Influence (LOI) program is an initiative of USAID and The Asia Foundation. Through this program USAID/Bangladesh seeks to support and expand USAID’S current program by engaging and exposing leaders of influence such as lawyers, religious leaders, interfaith leaders, Imam & Khatibs, mosque committee members, youth leaders etc. to modern practices of development and democracy with the overall objective of promoting values of tolerance, diversity, communal harmony, peace and understanding in Bangladesh society. Masjid Council for Community Advancement (MACCA) works with the Foundation to organize and conduct orientation for the interfaith leaders and the mosque committee members across the country.

In 2009 Masjid Council carried out a two-fold job: (i) Organizing Interfaith orientation programs; and (ii) Organizing Orientation sessions for the mosque committee members.

A total of 409 interfaith leaders, including 68 women, have been provided with orientation in Mymensingh, Chittagong, Dinajpur and Faridpur regions Day-long orientation programs were organized as per Foundation’s prescribed design featuring topics and themes of particular interest to the MACCA as well as general exposure to sectoral development topics.

A total of 201 mosque committee members have been provided with orientation. All participants were male since there is no female representation in the mosque committees. Four orientation sessions were arranged taking one from Cox’s Bazar, Kushtia, Madaripur and Dhaka region. Two-day orientation programs were organized in accordance with the Foundation’s prescribed design featuring topics and themes of particular interest to the MACCA as well as general exposure to sectoral development topics. Each program included a visit to USAID-funded project site. 

Participants were selected in line with the program mandate, approximate proportion of population by faiths, regional context, and availability of faith leaders. Following tables depict participant composition for the programs organized.

So far, MACCA claims the following successes: 

• MACCA has successfully utilized its own network through its Area Coordinators and with assistance from the regional interfaith committees.
• MACCA obtained active cooperation from `Council for Interfaith Harmony, Bangladesh’ (CIH,BD), an associate partner of MACCA working with major faith groups in Bangladesh.
• MACCA availed of assistance from `Bangladesh Imam Welfare Council’ - another associate partner of MACCA working across the country.
• The participants really enjoyed the program. It was evident from their reaction during the sessions. Besides, a good number of them from all the regions have contacted with the program team members over telephone and expressed their affirmative remarks on the program. Seemingly they feel proud to be affiliated with the LOI campaign.
• The Interfaith leaders as well as the Mosque committee members were found committed to disseminate the agreed-upon messages to their communities.