Record 43 sacks of cash found in Pagla Mosque donation boxes
A record 43 sacks of cash, a large amount of foreign currency and gold jewellery have been found after the 13 donation boxes at the historic Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj were opened. The boxes were unlocked at 7:00 am today, Saturday, nearly six months after they were last opened. The money is now being counted.
The mosque authorities expect this round of donations to surpass all previous records. Every day, people from across the country, regardless of religion or background, visit Pagla Mosque to make donations. The mosque's donation boxes are typically opened every four to six months.
The last time the boxes were opened was on 27 December last year, after an interval of three months and 27 days. On that occasion, a record Tk 117.85 million (Tk 117,848,538) was recovered from 35 sacks of cash, along with a large amount of foreign currency, gold jewellery and diamonds.
The donation boxes were opened at around 7:00 am under the supervision of Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner and chairman of the Pagla Mosque Management Committee, Sohana Nasrin, and Additional Superintendent of Police Najmus Sakib Khan. Additional District Magistrate and convenor of the donation box opening committee, Md Ershadul Ahmed, was also present.
The money recovered from the boxes was first packed into sacks and then emptied onto the floor before the counting began.
Also present at the time were Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Ishtiaq Iman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Mohammad Nahid Hasan Khan, the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Pagla Mosque Management Committee Member Secretary Kamrul Hasan, along with other government officials and magistrates.
More than 500 people are taking part in the counting process, including around 350 students from Al-Jamiatul Imdadia Madrasa and the Pagla Mosque Orphanage Madrasa, 130 officers and employees of Rupali Bank, as well as members of the mosque management committee, law enforcement agencies and the Bangladesh Army.
Deputy commissioner and chairman of the mosque management committee, Sohana Nasrin, said that after meeting the operational expenses of Pagla Mosque and the Islamic Complex, the remaining funds are deposited in a bank.
At present, around Tk 1.14 billion (Tk 114.13 crore) is held in bank accounts, along with about Tk 2.5 million (Tk 25 lakh) received through online donations. The money recovered in the latest count will also be deposited in the bank after the counting is completed, she said.
The deputy commissioner also said that the large amount of foreign currency and gold jewellery donated to the mosque is being preserved in the district administration's treasury. These items will be sold through public auctions at an appropriate time, and the proceeds will also be deposited in the bank.
In addition, profits generated from the mosque's funds are used to provide grants to mosques, madrasas and orphanages across the district, as well as financial assistance to underprivileged people and those suffering from serious illnesses, said the official.
Sohana Nasrin said the mosque's premises have been expanded with the purchase of an additional 53.7 decimals of land alongside the existing 5.5 acres. She added that there are plans to build a modern Islamic multipurpose complex centred on Pagla Mosque, inspired by the iconic mosques along the Bosphorus Strait in modern-day Turkey.
According to the mosque authorities, the proposed 10-storey complex will accommodate between 40,000 and 50,000 worshippers at a time. A separate prayer area for 5,000 women will also be included. The complex will further feature educational facilities for orphaned children, religious and madrasa education, a well-equipped library, a cafeteria and an IT section.
The project will be implemented under the supervision of the district administration. A team of experts from the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology has already completed the technical assessment, and construction is expected to begin soon after the work order is issued.
Additional Superintendent of Police Najmus Sakib Khan said police officers are responsible for ensuring security throughout the entire process—from opening the donation boxes and counting the money to depositing it in the bank. Members of law enforcement agencies also guard the donation boxes throughout the year.
Located on the banks of the Narsunda River, west of Kishoreganj town, Pagla Mosque is one of the district's most historic and popular religious institutions. According to popular belief, donations made at the mosque help fulfill people's wishes. As a result, people from across the country donate cash, gold jewellery, livestock, ducks, chickens and various other items there.