United News of Bangladesh

Pagla Mosque authorities in Kishoreganj have collected 43 sacks of cash and gold from the donation boxes on Saturday morning after six months since the last count. A total of 13 iron donation boxes of the mosque in Harua area beside the Narsunda river in Kishoreganj were opened around 7 am and the counting is currently underway. More than 500 people, including members of the mosque management committee, teachers and students from the madrasa and orphanage located within the mosque complex, students from nearby Jamia Imdadia Madrasa, and officials of Rupali Bank are taking part in the counting process. Although the donation boxes are usually opened every three months, this time they were opened after six months due to Ramadan and the national election period. Earlier, the boxes were last opened on December 27, 2025, and Tk 11.78 crore were collected from the boxes. The amount was later deposited into the Pagla Mosque account at Rupali Bank. Gold, silver and foreign currency collected at that time were also sealed and deposited with the district treasury. Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner and President of the mosque management committee Sohana Nasrin said the donation boxes consisting of 10 permanent chests and three temporary trunks—were opened after being completely filled. The mosque currently has Tk 114.13 crore in its total fund. She also said  the mosque’s official website (www.paglamosque.org) has been developed, allowing donations through mobile financial services from anywhere. The Bangla version of the website is also now live through which Tk 24.76 lakh has been received so far, she said. Besides, initiatives have been taken to construct a modern mosque complex. As part of the plan, 53.77 decimals of adjacent land have already been purchased in the mosque’s name. Design work for the new complex is ongoing along with construction of a public toilet outside the premises for worshippers, she added. The mosque fund is being used to support 130 orphan and underprivileged students of the madrasa, salaries of 35 staff and 10 Ansar members, utility bills and development activities. A portion of the profit from the fund is also used for medical assistance to poor patients in the district, she said. The deputy commissioner said the massive counting operation is being carried out with the help of around 300 students from Jamia Imdadia Madrasa, 106 students from Pagla Mosque Madrasa, 130 officials of Rupali Bank, 35 mosque staff and 19 officials from the deputy commissioner’s office. A seven-member sub-committee headed by the additional district magistrate is overseeing the opening and counting process. For security, 13 executive magistrates, 40 police personnel, eight RAB members and 20 Ansar members have been deployed and they will remain on duty throughout the day.  

Authorities have collected  28 sacks of cash from the donation boxes of the historic ‘Pagla Mosque’ in Kishoreganj on Saturday morning, after four months and 12 days since the last count. The donation boxes were opened around 7am in the presence of Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner (DC) and President of Pagla Mosque Management Committee, Fouzia Khan and Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury. Fouzia Khan said 11 donation boxes were opened this time, and the cash collected was brought to the mosque’s second floor for counting. “Although the boxes are usually opened every three months, this time they were opened after four months and 12 days. Currently, the mosque’s bank account has Tk 80.75 crore,” she added. Additional Deputy Commissioner and Rupali Bank Assistant General Manager (AGM) Mohammad Ali Haresi were also present. Gold, cash ‘looted’ from storeroom of Natore court; 3 in custody: Police A team of nearly 400 people including members of the mosque management committee, teachers, and students of the madrasha and orphanage situated within the mosque complex took part in the counting process. Earlier, on November 30, last year, the authorities found Tk 8.21 crore in ten donation boxes and a tank  after opening those after three months and 14 days. Apart from local currency, a significant amount of foreign currencies and gold ornaments were also recovered from the donation boxes.