Bangladesh Needs Help of Religious Leaders in AIDS Fight: UN

At the end of a three-day visit to Bangladesh on Wednesday, Nafis Sadique, UN special envoy on AIDS, called on the nation's religious leaders to help prevent the spread of HIV. "There are 250,000 mosques in Bangladesh with at least one Iman and one Muazzin [assistant] who are in a great position to spread the message about the danger of HIV and AIDS and how to remain safe," she said. But she added that the religious leaders need proper education about AIDS and how to prevent it. "The religious leaders of Bangladesh have a large audience and they could help create mass awareness about the deadly diseases," Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said. Official Bangladesh figures claim 248 people with HIV and 20 fatalities from AIDS. But the UN estimates that Bangladesh is home to 13,000 HIV patients.

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