Kushtia MP faces criticism over protocol breach after visiting UNO office with party delegation

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A controversy has erupted in Kushtia’s Mirpur upazila after a newly appointed government official received a high-profile reception from a local member of parliament, sparking a heated debate regarding administrative neutrality and official protocol.

Abdul Gafur, the Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker for the Kushtia-2 constituency, visited the office of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Afroza Shahin Khosru on Tuesday morning. Accompanied by several local party leaders and election candidates, Gafur presented the UNO with bouquets and gifts, later documenting the visit with photos on his official Facebook account.

The post, which described the gesture as a “warm welcome on behalf of the people of Mirpur,” triggered immediate backlash on social media. Many users questioned the appropriateness of the visit, citing the “Warrant of Precedence”—the official table of ranks governing protocol for government officials and elected representatives. Critics argued that the display of public adulation by an MP toward a career civil servant creates an impression of undue political influence and risks compromising the administrative independence of the UNO’s office.

Mizanur Rahman, a member of the local committee of the civic advocacy group Sanak, expressed concern that the spectacle of a lawmaker arriving with a political entourage carries an implicit message of pressure. He noted that such actions potentially erode the perceived neutrality of the administration in the eyes of the public.

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Defending the visit, UNO Afroza Shahin Khosru stated that the lawmaker arrived for a courtesy call. She explained that she had been informed of the visit by the MP’s personal secretary and viewed the gesture as a mechanism to facilitate future cooperation between the administration and the legislator. She declined to comment on the specific criticisms regarding protocol, maintaining that the interaction was intended to foster a working relationship for regional development.

Attempts to reach MP Abdul Gafur for further comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to multiple phone calls.

The incident is not the first of its kind to draw public scrutiny. A similar event occurred in January 2024, when Motaharul Islam Chowdhury, the MP for Chittagong-12, visited the Khulshi Police Station to present the officer-in-charge with flowers and sweets. That instance also ignited widespread debate over the blurring lines between political figures and government officials within the local administration.