In Bangladesh’s Parliament on Monday, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shah Alam faced criticism after two newly formed union councils in his constituency were named 'Simanta' and 'Diganta', matching the names of his two sons. Opposition lawmakers alleged that the unions were named after his family members, violating the Union Parishad Act 2009, which prohibits naming unions after individuals. The minister denied the allegation, claiming the similarity was coincidental.

The controversy arose in the newly created Mokamatla upazila of Bogura-2 constituency, where several unions were reorganized last month. According to the minister, 'Simanta' was named because the area borders another region, while 'Diganta' was chosen for its distant location near the Gaibandha district boundary. He emphasized that the names were selected by the district administration, not by him.

Government MPs expressed support for the minister during the session, while the opposition reiterated concerns about political influence in local naming decisions. The issue has drawn attention to administrative transparency in local government restructuring.