Letters of Personal Petitions and Political Appeals Found in Shahjalal Mazar Donation Boxes During Public Counting
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SYLHET — Authorities at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet recovered a collection of personal letters alongside approximately 7.5 million taka from the site’s donation boxes and historic pots during a public count on Saturday.
The counting process, which took place 35 days after the previous collection, revealed not only local currency but also various foreign denominations, including British pounds, U.S. dollars, Saudi riyals, Indian rupees, and UAE dirhams.
Among the letters recovered, one was penned by a woman identified as Hena, who sought divine intervention regarding her husband’s struggle with substance abuse. She appealed for justice against those who led her husband toward drugs and called for the eradication of narcotics from society. Another letter contained prayers for the long life and health of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, following her departure from the country amidst the July mass uprising, while also requesting protection for her party members from perceived harassment.
Shrine officials noted that while letters containing personal prayers and grievances are frequently discovered in the donation boxes, their contents were rarely publicized in the past because the counting process was historically conducted behind closed doors. This marked the third consecutive public count under the oversight of a newly formed management committee.
Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, administrator of the Sylhet City Corporation and a member of the committee tasked with ensuring transparency in the shrine’s financial management, confirmed that several letters were found but stated he had not yet reviewed their specific contents.
The current financial oversight measures were implemented following an initiative by the district administration in June to ensure accountability. On June 18, authorities sealed the traditional donation pots—known as degs—and replaced existing donation boxes with new ones. A 13-member committee was subsequently formed to manage the shrine’s funds and operations.
In the first two rounds of counting held on June 22 and July 11, authorities recovered approximately 1.7 million taka and 5 million taka, respectively. All collected funds are being deposited into a newly opened bank account managed by the district administration.
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