An allegation has surfaced that Munmun Nahar Asha, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Osmaninagar in Sylhet, fined a Banoful & Company employee Tk 50,000 for addressing her as 'Apa' during a visit to the company’s Tajpur branch on May 29. The UNO reportedly visited the shop with her daughter in disguise as a regular customer. When employee Abdul Mannan used the term 'Apa' while responding to her inquiry about sweets, she allegedly became angry, identified herself as a magistrate, and initiated a mobile court action.

According to Mannan, he was threatened with jail and forced to sign a document under pressure. He later sought leniency at the UNO office on June 1 but received no relief. Local BNP leaders intervened to help him keep his job after he was initially dismissed. The company has since transferred him to its Sylhet factory and decided to deduct the fine from his salary.

The branch manager and local officials offered differing explanations, while the UNO did not respond to repeated phone calls seeking comment.