Pagla Mosque Donation Boxes Break All Records
Photo: Agamir Somoy
The historic Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj has set a new record after officials counted Tk 1.59 billion from its 10 donation boxes and three donation trunks, the highest amount ever collected in a single opening.
The nearly 12-hour counting process concluded around 8:45 pm Saturday. The total was confirmed by Md. Kamrul Hasan Maruf, member secretary of the Pagla Mosque Management Committee and executive officer of Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila.
The record-breaking collection came after nearly six months of donations, underscoring the deep faith and trust of worshippers in one of Bangladesh's most well-known religious institutions.
Under tight security, district administration officials, law enforcement personnel, and members of the mosque management committee opened the 10 donation boxes and three trunks at 7 am Saturday. They recovered 43 sacks filled with cash, which were then taken to the mosque's second floor for counting.
The counting officially began at 9 am and continued throughout the day. After verification and documentation, officials announced the final total at about 9 pm.
Among those overseeing the process were Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner and Pagla Mosque Management Committee Chairperson Sohana Nasrin, Additional Superintendent of Police Najmus Sakib Khan, Member Secretary Md. Kamrul Hasan Maruf, and Rupali Bank Assistant General Manager Mohammad Ali Hareshi.
A total of 658 people participated in the counting operation, including 406 madrasa students, 14 executive magistrates, 35 teachers and staff members, 16 Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel, 35 police officers, eight Ansar Battalion members, 10 Ansar members, four Fire Service personnel, and 130 bank officials and employees.
Mosque authorities said worshippers from Bangladesh and abroad donate cash, gold jewelry, silver, livestock, and foreign currencies to fulfill vows, express gratitude, or support charitable causes. The donations are used for mosque development, assistance to orphans and underprivileged people, and other public welfare initiatives.
The previous donation boxes were opened after three months and 27 days, yielding Tk 117,848,538 along with gold, silver, Saudi riyals, Malaysian ringgit, and other foreign currencies. This time, the boxes remained unopened for nearly six months, leading to widespread anticipation over the total collection.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Sohana Nasrin said the mosque already had Tk 1.14 billion deposited in its bank accounts. The latest collection of more than Tk 159 million marks another milestone in the mosque's donation history.
