Jamaat lawmakers condemn Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir over remarks linking regional development to political allegiance

Eleven opposition lawmakers from the Jamaat-e-Islami party held a press conference in Rangpur on Tuesday to condemn recent remarks made by Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir regarding the political choices of the region’s electorate. The legislators asserted that voters have an inherent democratic right to choose their political affiliation without facing repercussions or conditional development policies.

The conference, held at the District Council Community Center at 8:00 p.m., featured lawmakers Rayhan Siraji (Rangpur-1), Mahabubur Rahman Belal (Rangpur-3), Golam Rabbani (Rangpur-5), Abdus Sattar (Nilphamari-1), Al Faruq Abdul Latif (Nilphamari-2), Obaidullah Salafi (Nilphamari-3), Abdul Muntakim (Nilphamari-4), Majedur Rahman (Gaibandha-1), Abdul Karim (Gaibandha-2), Nazrul Islam (Gaibandha-3), and Abdul Waresh (Gaibandha-5).

The controversy stems from an address by Minister Alamgir on August 9 at the Rangpur District Shilpakala Academy. During the event, the minister questioned why the Rangpur region remains economically underdeveloped, attributing the lack of progress to the political preferences of the local population. He suggested that voters in the region consistently back opposition parties instead of the ruling government, implying that such decisions negatively impact their development prospects.

Responding to these remarks, the lawmakers demanded an immediate retraction, describing the minister’s stance as contrary to democratic values and a step toward one-party authoritarianism. Member of Parliament Mahabubur Rahman Belal stated that such comments from a senior political figure undermine the constitutional rights of free expression and disrespect the political maturity of the people of Rangpur.

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The legislators emphasized that the primary responsibility of a democratic government is to ensure equitable development across all regions of the country. They argued that public taxation and constitutional mandates dictate that the government serves all citizens, regardless of their political alignment. They further dismissed the notion that regional development should be treated as a reward for political loyalty.

During the briefing, the lawmakers highlighted the systemic neglect faced by the region, including high unemployment, insufficient industrialization, and gaps in health and education infrastructure. They called for the implementation of long-standing regional priorities, such as the Teesta Master Plan and improvements to transportation networks. The group concluded by urging the government to abandon discriminatory rhetoric and fulfill its duty to provide fair, inclusive development to the citizens of Rangpur, whom they maintained are entitled to equal rights as taxpayers of the state.