Over 7 Million Taka Recovered From Historic Donation Boxes at Hazrat Shahjalal Shrine After 35 Days
Photo Collected
Authorities at the Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) Shrine in Sylhet have recovered nearly 7.5 million taka from historic donation pots and collection boxes, ending a 35-day period of restricted access. The count, which concluded on Saturday, also yielded a variety of foreign currencies, gold, and silver ornaments, marking a significant step in the administration’s drive to ensure transparency in the shrine’s financial management.
Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, administrator of the Sylhet City Corporation and a member of the newly formed management committee, officially announced the figures to journalists following the completion of the count. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet, Abdullah Al Mamun, and other senior administrative officials.
The final tally recorded 7,088,672 taka in local currency. In addition, the collection boxes contained foreign currency from 19 different nations, including 31.11 British pounds, 3,248 Indian rupees, 60 Pakistani rupees, 70 Saudi riyals, 83 Malaysian ringgits, four U.S. dollars, and 100 Nepalese rupees. The counting process, which began at 10 a.m. and concluded at 6 p.m., also accounted for 2 bhori and 1 rati of gold, 1 bhori and 2 ana of silver, and various livestock donated by devotees.
The funds were collected from eight historic donation pots and collection boxes that had been sealed by the district administration on June 18. This action followed a directive from the then-Deputy Commissioner, Md. Sarwar Alam, aimed at establishing accountability for the shrine’s income and expenditures. The sealing of these historic vessels prompted significant public debate and criticism, eventually leading to the government’s transfer of the former Deputy Commissioner.
Following the controversy, a 13-member committee was formed on June 26 during a meeting at the Sylhet Circuit House, presided over by local lawmaker and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir. This committee is now responsible for overseeing the shrine’s operations and financial transparency.
Previous counts conducted on June 22 and July 11 yielded approximately 1.7 million taka and nearly 5 million taka, respectively. According to administrative officials, all recovered funds are being deposited into a newly opened bank account managed under the direct supervision of the district administration to ensure secure and transparent financial tracking.
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