Order issued to restore union name changed ‘coincidentally’ amid intense criticism

❐ Staff Reporter

An initiative has been taken to change the names of the newly formed ‘Simanta’ and ‘Diganta’ unions in Mokamtala upazila of Bogra. The Prime Minister has given instructions in this regard, said Bogra Deputy Commissioner Taufiqur Rahman.

The Deputy Commissioner said that as per the Prime Minister’s instructions, the necessary activities to change the names of the two unions have been started. In determining the new name, the opinions of the local people, history and tradition of the area and geographical identity will be given importance. He also said that public hearings will be organized again for this purpose.

District administration sources said that after the new name is finalized, it will be published in the gazette after completing the legal and administrative processes.

It is worth mentioning that recently, there was a huge controversy over the naming of the four newly formed unions in Shibganj and Mokamtala upazilas. Among them, the name of ‘Mirbari’ union drew criticism as it was similar to the name of the ancestral home of Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and Member of Parliament for Bogra-2 constituency.

On the other hand, the name of the union ‘Simanta’ and ‘Diganta’ coincides with the names of the state minister’s two sons, Mir Shakrul Alam Simanta and Mir Saqlain Alam Diganta, and the issue has become the focus of national discussion. Questions have been raised about this in various quarters, from social media to the political arena.

Faced with criticism, Mir Shahe Alam, while giving a personal explanation in the National Parliament, claimed that these names were proposed through the upazila administration, district administration and public hearings. He mentioned that the similarity with the names of his children was a coincidence.

However, a section of locals complained that the general public was not properly informed about the naming process and no visible evidence of the alleged public hearing was found.

Meanwhile, the initiative to change the names of ‘Simanta’ and ‘Diganta’ unions under the Prime Minister’s directive is being seen as an important administrative step in the context of the controversy. Now, the attention of those concerned is on what the new name will be and how much the opinions of the local people are reflected through public hearings.