The mutawalli of the historic Shahi Mosque in Shailkupa, Jhenaidah, Mir Shamsuzzaman Panna, has been accused of embezzling lakhs of taka in donations to the mosque. Local people allege that of Tk 61 lakh collected from various sources over more than two years, there is no account for more than Tk 30 lakh. He is also accused of taking a monthly payment from the mosque’s imam.
According to local people, worshippers donate to the Shahi Mosque, which is run under the Badsha Hossain Shah Waqf Estate, every day. Individuals and organisations also give donations. But no proper accounts of the money are kept, they allege. Although the rules require a meeting every month, none has been held for a long time, and committee members are not told about the mosque’s income and spending.
Mir Shamsuzzaman Panna is alleged to have taken charge as mutawalli after 5 August 2024. Since then, a total of Tk 61 lakh has been collected from donations and other sources over more than two years. Half was spent on the mosque caretaker’s salary and other costs, and the other half was handed to the mutawalli, according to sources concerned. But questions have arisen over exactly what happened to the money he received.
Zahid Hossain, a local worshipper and school teacher, said half of the mosque’s daily income goes to the mutawalli. “That money is supposed to be kept in a bank, but the mutawalli has not put it in any bank. He has not even given any account of it. A boundary wall was recently built for the mosque, and he did not give a single taka for that either. The wall is being built with money from selling trees and from local people,” he said.
Another member, Hossain Ali, said no meeting has been held at the mosque for two years, and there is no account of where and how the money goes.
A worshipper who did not want to be named said Tk 31.45 lakh had been handed to the mutawalli over more than two years, and alleged that the mutawalli had embezzled all of it.
Shihab Mallik, general secretary of the Shailkupa Press Club, said misuse of mosque money is not acceptable at all. He demanded an investigation into where and how the money collected over the past two years was spent.
Responding to the allegations, mutawalli Mir Shamsuzzaman Panna said: “Where is that much money? There may be Tk 2 or 3 lakh. A conspiracy is being hatched against me. It is all lies.”
Shailkupa upazila nirbahi officer Md Mahfuzur Rahman said the allegations of irregularities at the mosque will be investigated, and necessary action will be taken if they are found to be true.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report