Tk 827,450 has been found in two donation boxes at Fakir Lalon Shah’s akhra in Chheuria, Kumarkhali, Kushtia.
The seals on the boxes were broken and the money collected at around 10:45am on Monday (October 26). It was then counted for nearly three hours on the fourth floor of the Lalon Academy building.
Present were Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Zakir Hossain, Kumarkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Raisul Islam, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Navid Sarwar, members of the Lalon Academy, sadhus and journalists.
When the boxes were last opened, on October 10, they held Tk 649,348. Over the two openings, 15 days apart, the boxes have yielded Tk 1,476,798 in total. According to the district administration, the money from the earlier opening was deposited in the Lalon Academy’s bank account the next day.
Kumarkhali UNO Raisul Islam said the two donation boxes at the Lalon shrine were opened for the second time on Monday in front of everyone. The money found would be deposited in the Lalon Academy’s bank account the same day, he said.
Hundreds of thousands of Bauls, sadhus, devotees and visitors from Bangladesh and abroad gather at the Chheuria akhra for the events marking Fakir Lalon Shah’s death anniversary and Dol Purnima. Devotees and admirers also come to the akhra throughout the year and give money to the donation boxes.
Locals said the boxes are opened four times a year, but the counting used to take place out of sight of the media and the public. Visitors and sadhus welcomed the decision to count the money openly this time.
Last year, before Lalon Shah’s 135th death anniversary, the boxes were opened and held Tk 492,264, and three days after the anniversary they held Tk 922,242. The boxes will be opened again before the next Dol festival.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report