Donation Money at Shahjalal Shrine in Sylhet Being Counted Publicly for the Fifth Time

The money collected in the donation boxes and vessels of the Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) shrine in Sylhet is being counted once again. The counting began at 9:30am on Saturday (24 October) in the presence of district administration officials. As the staff recruitment process has not finished, the donation money is being counted publicly for the fifth time, one month and eight days after the previous count.

To bring transparency to the shrine's financial management, a committee formed on 23 September decided that donation money would be counted every day. Accordingly, a manager, an accountant and an office assistant were to be recruited for counting, record-keeping and expenditure. However, as the recruitment process has not ended, daily counting could not yet be introduced.

In Saturday's count, foreign currency was found alongside local money in the shrine's donation boxes and vessels. Letters containing devotees' various requests and appeals were also found in the boxes. The total amount, however, was not immediately known after the counting.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun said the recruitment process is ongoing and CVs have been submitted for it. He said the recruitment is expected to be complete within next month, after which the shrine's money will be counted every day. He added that the shrine's donation money is being counted for the fifth time today, after one month and eight days.

Earlier, on 19 September, in the fourth round, opening the shrine's three vessels and five donation boxes yielded 8,892,966 taka. In addition, one bhori nine ana two rati of gold and currencies of 15 countries were found.

On 23 September, a committee meeting chaired by Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir decided that 35 percent of the donation money would be spent on the shrine's development work. This money will be kept in an account at Sonali Bank. The remaining 65 percent will cover the shrine's daily expenses and staff salaries and allowances.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner and committee member-secretary Abdullah Al Mamun said after the meeting that the bank account for development funds will be operated under the joint signatures of the deputy commissioner and the shrine's mutawalli. Alongside a manager to oversee financial activities, an accountant and an office assistant will be recruited. The plan is to appoint a retired government official or a retired army officer as manager.

A seven-member committee is also to be formed for the shrine's security, development and overall management. The deputy commissioner will chair this committee. It will include one representative each from Sylhet City Corporation, Sylhet Development Authority, Sylhet Metropolitan Police, Sylhet District Council and the Superintendent of Police. The shrine's mutawalli will serve as member-secretary.

This transparency initiative was taken against the backdrop of controversy over the management of the shrine's donation money. Stakeholders believe the continuation of public counting aims to restore the trust of devotees and donors.

Once the recruitment process is complete, daily counting is expected to begin from next month. The district administration hopes that daily collections will then be recorded regularly and full discipline will come to the shrine's financial management.