Bogura administration holds public hearings to rename controversial unions linked to state minister family members
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Local authorities in Bogura’s Shibganj and the newly formed Mokamtala upazilas conducted public hearings on Tuesday to rename three local unions following widespread controversy over their original designations. The dispute arose after the administrative divisions were named after the ancestral home and children of State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, triggering public outcry.
The controversy centers on a June 11 gazette issued by the Bogura district administration, which established four new unions. Among them, one in Shibganj was named “Mirbari”—matching the Minister’s family home—while two others in Mokamtala were named “Shimanta” and “Diganta,” the names of the Minister’s sons. The decision sparked significant local backlash, eventually reaching the Prime Minister’s office. According to official reports, Prime Minister Tareque Rahman intervened last Friday, directing the Bogura district administrator, Md. Taufiqur Rahman, to facilitate an immediate renaming process.
বিজ্ঞাপন
To address these concerns, the local administration organized three separate public hearings on Tuesday, spanning from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each hearing was overseen by a committee of government officials to ensure transparency. In the case of the “Mirbari” union, 460 residents participated in a forum at the Betgari Mirbari Government Primary School field, with a majority proposing the names “Betgari” or “Aliarhat.”
Simultaneously, hearings for the “Shimanta” and “Diganta” unions took place at the Jagannathpur and Bhoria high school fields, respectively. During the session for the “Shimanta” union, attendees suggested alternatives such as “Jagannathpur,” “Abhirampur,” “Mankair,” and “Amjhupi.” The “Diganta” union hearing faced additional complexity; some residents staged a protest demanding that the meeting be held in the Rohobol area. In response, officials announced a follow-up hearing specifically for the Rohobol community, scheduled for June 25.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Shibganj Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Ziaur Rahman emphasized that the committees were tasked with ensuring an inclusive and transparent selection process. The proposals gathered during these hearings will now be finalized through official administrative channels, after which a formal gazette notification will be issued to replace the contested names.
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