Former BBC journalist and ex-UK press minister Akbar Hossain has compared Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif with State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam. In a Facebook post on Friday, Hossain remarked that Shah Alam reminded him of Hanif, describing both as figures who gained prominence only during Awami League’s tenure in power.

The comparison comes amid growing controversy in Bogura over the formation of four new unions following a gazette notification issued on June 11. Local residents have alleged that three of the newly created unions—Mirbari, Simanto, and Digonto—bear names linked to the minister’s family. According to locals, Mirbari reflects the minister’s ancestral home, while Simanto and Digonto correspond to the names of his two sons.

The administrative restructuring affected Shibganj and the newly formed Mokamtola upazilas, sparking political debate and criticism over alleged nepotism in naming the unions.