Questions have emerged over the source of a Tk5 lakh donation made by outgoing Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Sarwar Alam to the fund of the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), following reports that the money was provided from district administration funds.
The issue has sparked debate over whether a deputy commissioner is authorized to allocate public funds to a shrine and under which fund the donation was made.
Acting Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Pinky Saha told Dhaka Tribune that she was not involved in the shrine-related activities and was unaware of the matter.
A district administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the money may have been provided from the deputy commissioner's local revenue (LR) fund. However, the official declined to comment further and advised seeking clarification from relevant authorities.
Several other officials of the district administration also declined to comment on the matter.
Abdul Karim Chowdhury, coordinator of the Citizens' Movement, questioned the rationale behind the donation.
"The former DC had already generated controversy through several decisions involving the shrine. After highlighting the amount of donations collected there, he again created a debate by donating Tk5 lakh to the shrine fund," he said.
Sarwar Alam recently visited the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) and announced measures to ensure transparency and accountability in shrine finances.
As part of that initiative, four new donation boxes were installed at the shrine premises last week, while three historic donation chests and an existing donation box were sealed.
The move triggered mixed reactions across Sylhet. While some welcomed the effort to bring transparency to shrine finances, others criticized the administration's involvement in managing donations.
Amid the controversy, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Sunday withdrawing Sarwar Alam from his post as Sylhet deputy commissioner and appointing him as a deputy secretary at the ministry.
The following day, Sarwar Alam visited the shrine again. Under his supervision, the sealed donation chests and boxes were opened and counted.
According to officials, a total of Tk17.6 lakhs in cash, along with seven annas of gold ornaments and 10 Saudi riyals, was recovered from the donation boxes and chests.
The funds were later deposited into a newly opened bank account in the name of the shrine at a branch of Sonali Bank.
Officials said an additional Tk5 lakh was also deposited into the same account from district administration funds.
Sarwar Alam confirmed the donation before leaving Sylhet, saying the money had been provided from district administration funds and would be utilized by the shrine authorities.
The donation has drawn criticism from some local residents and civil society members, who argue that public funds could have been used for broader welfare initiatives.
Many observers, however, noted that the counting of shrine donations provided rare insight into the volume of contributions received at the centuries-old shrine, where donation collections have historically not been publicly disclosed.
Sarwar Alam took charge as Sylhet deputy commissioner on August 18 last year. Prior to that, he served as private secretary to Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Asif Nazrul.
During his tenure, he launched several initiatives, including efforts to clear footpaths and curb broker activities at Osmani Medical College Hospital. However, his recent actions regarding shrine donations and donation boxes generated significant public debate, culminating in his transfer.