Historic Pagla Mosque donation boxes yield record cash and trove of handwritten prayers
Photo Collected
The historic Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj has set a new record for charitable contributions, as officials discovered 43 sacks filled with cash, gold, and jewelry during the opening of the mosque’s 13 donation boxes on Saturday. The collection, which follows a six-month accumulation period, is expected to surpass the previous record of approximately 11.75 crore taka.
Beyond the currency, the donation boxes contained an unusually high volume of personal correspondence—amounting to an entire sack of letters. For decades, the mosque has drawn visitors of all faiths who believe that placing written prayers or personal requests inside the donation boxes facilitates the fulfillment of their deepest desires.
Among the discovered letters was a heartfelt plea from a self-described “dreamer” requesting divine intervention for the Bangladesh national football team to qualify for the 2030 World Cup, expressing a desire to see the nation’s red and green flag displayed on the global stage. Other missives included a student’s ambition to achieve a GPA-5 in upcoming Higher Secondary Certificate examinations and various personal appeals for the reconciliation of broken relationships.
Mosque officials noted that while such letters are a customary feature of the site, this collection was notably large. The abundance of correspondence has become a logistical challenge, occasionally obstructing the donation boxes and fueling social media discourse. To address these concerns, authorities have sequestered the letters and issued an appeal to the public to refrain from depositing unnecessary paperwork into the charity boxes.
The counting process, overseen by Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner and Mosque Committee President Sohana Nasrin, began early Saturday morning. By midday, officials had processed nearly 10 crore taka in large-denomination banknotes. According to Rupali Bank Deputy General Manager Md. Rafiqul Islam, the tallying is expected to continue into the evening, with the total anticipated to set a new benchmark for the institution.
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