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In a historic first for its 700-year existence, donations at the Hazrat Shahjalal (R) Mazar in Sylhet were publicly counted on Tuesday. The process, overseen by outgoing Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwoer Alam, revealed a total of Tk 17,65,559 in cash and seven ana of gold, equivalent to approximately 5.1 grams.

The counting took place on the shrine's premises in the presence of Alam and other district administration officials. Cash and gold were collected from two traditional donation cauldrons (deg) and a donation box installed recently under the district administration's initiative. The event followed an announcement that DC Sarwoer had been withdrawn from his post and reassigned to the Ministry of Public Administration.

Last Wednesday, the district administration had sealed the three traditional donation cauldrons, replacing them with new donation boxes managed by the administration. Security was provided by Ansar personnel during the installation, which was supervised by Additional DC Masud Rana. Sarwoer was appointed Sylhet DC in August 2025 and had previously gained national recognition as an executive magistrate with Rab. His posting to Sylhet came after his predecessor was removed amid a stone-looting controversy.

The shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R), a 14th-century Sufi saint credited with spreading Islam in the Sylhet region, has been a significant pilgrimage site for centuries. The dargah complex, situated on a hillock in Sylhet city, continues to attract devotees from Bangladesh and abroad.