Crocodile-based ‘votive trade’ alleged at Shrine, led by Khadims

'Vow Trading' with Crocodiles has been going on at the Shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA) in Bagerhat for a long time. Devotees believe that feeding the crocodiles in the shrine's pond with poultry will fulfill their wishes or intentions. For that, some bring ducks, some chickens, some goats. These vowed poultry and goats go to the servants. They divide the money and animals for the vows. This is how the vow trading with crocodiles has been going on at the shrine for years!

It can be seen on the ground that people from different districts of the country are bringing poultry to feed the crocodiles. Those animals are taken from the banks of the pond and taken into the custody of the shrine's Khadems.

Mosharraf Fakir, who is in charge, said that he collects animals for vows from morning to evening. The Pir himself will reward him for this work.

However, he did not want to talk about the cost of the animals for vows and the cash donated.

On April 13, 14 and 15, it was seen during a visit to the shrine area that only a very small part of the animals for vows goes to the crocodile. Even if the crocodile is near the pond. All the animals and cash given to the shrine go to the servants. However, the crocodile is occasionally given a couple of poultry to eat. Even then, they are thrown into the pond while still alive. The crocodile comes and eats them. In addition, sometimes a feast is organized for the servants with these animals. At that time, some food is also given to helpless people to show off.

The servants of the shrine circle

There are 70 to 80 servants at the shrine. They are led by the chief servant Fakir Tariqul Islam. He is the former president of the district youth party. There is also a rule to divide all the animals and cash found in the shrine among themselves.

Every day, a servant is given the responsibility of looking after the shrine. All the animals and cash donations of that day go to his custody. At the end of the day, he takes them into his custody and sells them. He enjoys some with his family. The servants live in the village of Dighirpar adjacent to the shrine. The main source of income for almost all the families there is the crocodile business of the shrine.

People who come to the shrine are asked to donate more money through various temptations. They are told that the more they donate, the more reward or welfare they will receive. In reality, that money or the animals of the vow become the personal income of the servants.

It is known that although the president of the shrine is the District Administrator by virtue of his position, in reality he does not have any effective supervision. Money is only deposited in the shrine's bank account twice a year.

Urs is held at the shrine on the 24th and 25th of the month of Agrahayan. During the Urs, the money deposited in the donation box is taken out after four days. 30 percent of that money is deposited in the shrine's bank account. A fair is held there on the full moon day of the month of Chaitra. Although the fair is two days long, the festive atmosphere lasts for seven days. The donation box is opened once during these seven days. During this time, 40 percent of the cash donation is deposited in the shrine's bank account. And the shrine servants take the rest of the money themselves.

Except for these two times, the donation box of the shrine is opened every day. And the servant in charge of that day takes everything, including the donation money. Also, if any servant wants, he can sell his 'responsible day'. The person who buys his day becomes the owner of all the income of the shrine that day.

It is known that if someone wants to slaughter a vowed animal himself and feed it to crocodiles or the helpless, the servants prevent it. Because it harms them. The vowed animal is not found. As a result, the vowed people are disappointed in various ways. They are even told that if they do everything themselves, their vows will not be fulfilled. Crocodiles will come and scare them in their dreams.

Some residents of the area adjacent to the shrine said, ‘The servants of the shrine are hypocrites. This is known to all the locals. Even then, ordinary people come here and donate animals and cash in the name of vows or for any purpose. The servants are earning money by sitting on this. To keep their hypocrisy hidden, they organize and adopt various strategies.’

‘Pir’s crocodile’ is not in the pond

The two crocodiles named Dhalapahar and Kalapahar, historically known in the pond of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA), are no longer there. Their descendants are also not in the pond. The ‘voucher business’ is being run with crocodiles brought from India in 2005.

It is known that in 2005, six crocodiles were brought from Madras, India and released into the pond. One of them is alive. The surviving crocodile has been named Dhala Pahar, in keeping with the name of the crocodile raised by Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA). The crocodile business has been going on there for years under this name.

Views Bangladesh's investigation has revealed that the organized gang of servants of the shrine has been deceiving the common people by capitalizing on religious beliefs.

People donate in faith, and that donation becomes the source of income for the servants.

To keep such deception of the servants hidden under the guise of faith, an invisible atmosphere of fear is created in the shrine.

The people of Dighirpar village, adjacent to the shrine, are also doing various small businesses around the shrine. Many of them adopt a spiritualist attitude to hide their hypocrisy. They have been deceiving people in this way for years. They are also trying to cover up the incident so that the recent 'dog incident' does not affect their business.

Open friendship with crocodiles, hidden business

Some of the shrine's servants and their associates have been keeping crocodiles in the pond for business purposes centered around the shrine. One of them is local resident Mehedi Hasan. Many videos of friendship with crocodiles can be seen on his social media Facebook ID. Mehedi is encouraging ordinary people to make vows through these videos. He also profits by showing his friendship with crocodiles in front of visitors. Sometimes, Mehedi slaughters the goat for the vow, feeds a small amount of meat to the crocodile, videos it and posts it on Facebook. The rest of the meat goes to the servants.

Although Mehedi Hasan was met on the banks of the shrine's pond, he expressed reluctance to talk after being introduced to journalists.

As soon as he started talking, Mehedi said that the servants know more about crocodiles than he does. Currently, there is only one crocodile in the pond. It is an Indian crocodile.

Mehedi Hasan quickly left the scene after saying this.

Some local residents said about Mehedi Hasan that Mehedi attracted people to the shrine through Facebook videos. Although he is not a direct servant, he is their associate.

When asked about these matters, the head servant of the shrine and former president of the district Jubo Dal, Fakir Tariqul Islam, got excited and disconnected the mobile phone, saying that he was busy.

However, before that, he said, what would you do if you knew the number of servants? Why didn't you contact me when you were in Bagerhat?

It was also learned on the spot that the servant circle of the shrine is controlled by former Jubo Dal leader Fakir Tariqul Islam. The animals and money donated to the shrine are looted on his orders. A large part of it goes into the pocket of the head servant Tariqul Islam. Although their business with crocodiles has been going on for many years, there is no one to speak out against them publicly. The servant circle of the shrine is very influential.

When asked, Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Golam Md. Baten, the ex-officio president of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA)'s Mazar Sharif, told Views Bangladesh, "Even though I am the president, I refrain from directly commenting or interfering in matters related to the shrine. For a long time, people have been donating there out of blind faith. Which is their personal belief."

He also said that 30 percent and 40 percent of the money from the shrine's donation box is deposited in a bank account twice a year, which is correct. However, he will talk about the fact that the servants are accepting the daily donation money. Although the shrine runs according to the internal rules of the servants.

He also said that he will inquire into the expenditure of the shrine's money and take necessary action.

The Deputy Commissioner said that the servants of the shrine are managed in an organized manner. There is strong unity among them on matters related to the shrine. In addition, they also have blind devotees.