Gold ornaments weighing 1,044 bhori with an estimated market value of around Tk20 crore have been recovered from the donation boxes of Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj.
Silver ornaments weighing 1,088 bhori worth over Tk40 lakh were also found in the boxes, where people donated these items over the past six years.
The work of weighing the items, verifying the carats of the gold, and counting foreign currency began on Monday morning in the conference room of the deputy commissioner under the supervision of the district administration.
In the evening, Md Ershadul Ahmed, additional district magistrate, stated that 12 kg 174 grams of gold and 12 kg 690 grams of silver were found, adding that counting the foreign currency would take more time.
Later at around 5:30pm, it was officially reported that 1,044 bhori of gold ornaments and 1,088 bhori of silver ornaments were found in the donation boxes.
The gold items include 7 ana of 24-carat gold, 56 bhori of 22-carat gold, nearly 116 bhori of 21-carat gold, 17 bhori of traditional gold, and 847 bhori of nose rings.
Traders stated that the current market price of these gold ornaments is around Tk20 crore. Foreign currency was also found in the donation boxes, the exact amount of which will be disclosed later.
Sohana Nasrin, deputy commissioner, stated that 10 members of the District Jewellers Samity are working to determine the weight and measure the gold and silver ornaments.
Following market valuation, the gold and silver ornaments will be sold at auction, whilst the foreign currency will be encashed according to the updated exchange rates of Bangladesh Bank.
Devotees regularly donate local and foreign currency as well as gold and silver ornaments into the donation boxes of Pagla Mosque, which are opened at specific intervals to deposit the collected funds into the mosque treasury.
On 27 June this year, the donation boxes were opened and Tk15.91 crore was found, after which the process of determining the amount of accumulated gold, silver, and foreign currency commenced.
Since the launch of the mosque website, Tk39.32 lakh has also been deposited online via mobile banking.
Earlier on 11 March 2020, 420 bhori of gold ornaments and 188 bhori of silver ornaments found in the donation chest of Pagla Mosque were sold at auction for Tk1.15 crore. At that time, selling the foreign currency found in the chest fetched Tk70 lakh.
