PM orders renaming of two Bogura unions

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ordered steps to change the names of two unions in Bogura’s Mokamtala Upazila that were allegedly named after the two sons of State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam.

The order came after the names sparked controversy for reportedly resembling those of the state minister’s sons.
The BNP Media Cell disclosed the information in a post on its verified Facebook page on Friday, citing Bogura Deputy Commissioner Toufiqur Rahman.

"The process of renaming the two unions has already begun in line with the Prime Minister's instruction," the deputy commissioner said. He added that public hearings would be held again to finalise new names, taking into account local opinions, historical heritage and geographical features.

District administration sources said the new names would be published through an official gazette after completing all legal procedures.

The controversy arose after the names of the newly created "Simanto Union" and "Digonto Union" were found to be similar to the names of the state minister's sons, Simanto and Digonto. The issue triggered criticism and debate, raising concerns over possible misinterpretation and allegations of favouritism.

Sources said the state minister himself felt embarrassed by the controversy and requested the district administration to change the names to avoid confusion and negative publicity.

The matter was raised in Parliament on Monday during discussions on budget cut motions by opposition lawmaker Shafiqul Islam. He alleged that a newly formed "Mirbari Union" in Shibganj Upazila reflected the minister's family name, while two other unions in Mokamtala appeared to match the names of his sons.

Addressing Parliament, the opposition MP said previous proposals to name public institutions after family members had been rejected by the Prime Minister and urged ministers to follow the same principle. He also warned against a return to a culture of naming public entities after individuals connected to those in power.

Responding in a personal explanation, State Minister Mir Shahe Alam denied any involvement in the naming process. He said the names were selected by local administration officials following verification and public consultations.

According to the minister, one union was named "Simanto" as it is located near the border areas of Gabtali and Sonatala upazilas, while "Digonto" reflects its distant location and wide geographical spread near Gaibandha district.

The controversy followed a government gazette issued on June 11 reorganising the administrative structure of Shibganj and the newly declared Mokamtala upazilas and creating several new unions. Public criticism intensified after the publication of the names "Mirbari," "Simanto" and "Digonto."