Jamaat-e-Islami leader and Patuakhali-2 lawmaker Md Shafiqul Islam has alleged in parliament that State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam renamed three union parishads in his constituency, including two after his sons and another after a family member.
Shafiqul made the allegation while taking part in a discussion on the supplementary budget in the parliament today (15 June).
The state minister later rejected the allegation, offering a personal explanation under Rule 274 of the parliamentary rules of procedure.
Speaking in parliament, Shafiqul said several unions in two upazilas under the state minister’s constituency had been renamed. According to him, one union was named after a member of the minister’s family, while two others were named after his sons, Diganta and Simanta.
The Jamaat lawmaker said the prime minister had shown reluctance to name institutions after members of his family, a stance that many viewed positively.
“We all see it as a positive example. Others should follow that example as well, but that is not happening,” he said.
Responding to the allegation, Mir Shahe Alam said the two unions in question were remote areas under Mokamtala in his constituency – Syedpur and Deuli unions.
“These two unions were very large. After verification and public hearings conducted by the local administration, the upazila nirbahi officer and the deputy commissioner, it was decided that since Syedpur union is located on the border of Gabtali and Sonatala upazilas, the newly formed union would be named Simanta union due to its border location,” he said.
The state minister added that another union, previously known as Deuli union, had also been renamed Diganta union following consultations by the local administration and residents.
“Deuli union is very close to Gaibandha and located far from the administrative centre. Based on opinions gathered during public hearings, the new union was named Diganta union,” he said.
During his remarks, the minister also cited several places and establishments across the country that use the similar names.
Addressing the Jamaat lawmaker’s allegation, he said, “There are many places and institutions across Bangladesh named Simanta and Diganta. I do not understand why he linked those names to my children.”
He added, “Fortunately, he did not claim that BGB’s Simanta Bank, Gulshan’s Diganta Tower, Diganta Television or the railway’s Simanta Express were named after me.”
The state minister further said that the similarity between the names of the unions and his sons was purely coincidental.
“Miraculously, the names happen to match those of my sons. My sons’ names are Mir Simanta and Mir Diganta. If my intention had been to name the unions after them, I would have asked the administration to name them Mir Simanta and Mir Diganta. But the word ‘Mir’ is not part of the unions’ names,” he said.
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