Historic mosque reopened in Bijeljina three decades after destruction

The ceremony was attended by the Mufti of Sandzak, Mevlud Dudic, President of the Meshihat of the Islamic Community in Serbia, who served as the envoy for Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In his address, Mufti Dudic reflected on the longstanding tradition of coexistence between Muslims and Orthodox Christians in the region, emphasizing the duty of future generations to learn from past events. He noted that history speaks more profoundly than books about such sites, explaining that the mosque carries the memory of generations of Bijeljina residents who built, protected, and gathered within it.

Mufti Dudic highlighted that the legacy of the mosque extends beyond the Muslim community. He recalled that during its reconstruction in 1979, numerous local Serbs from Semberija contributed to the effort. Conversely, the history of Bijeljina also records the story of a Muslim woman, Hanumica Osmanbegovic, who donated land for the construction of an Orthodox church. He stated that these historical examples warrant particular reflection today, not to idealise history, but to acknowledge that people of different faiths can support one another and preserve their respective places of worship without undermining those of others.

The reopening of the Preljubovica-Dasnica Mosque forms part of a broader initiative to restore Bijeljina's mosques, a process initiated in late 2002. The Tuzla Mufti office, led by Tuzla Mufti Vahid Fazlovic, has offered sustained support for the reconstruction efforts and the revival of religious life within returnee communities.

The reconstruction of the mosque was made possible by over 100 endowers, along with numerous benefactors, volunteers, and supporters of the local Majlis.

The occasion proved deeply emotional for residents of Bijeljina who remember the original structure before its destruction. Following a 33-year absence, the call to prayer has resounded once again from the renovated Dacnica Mosque.

The site itself originates from an endowment by Hasiba-hanuma Salihbegovic, who donated the land with the express intention that a mosque be constructed there, a vision subsequently carried forward by Mehmed-bey and Ali-bey Preljubovic.

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