MP Clash at Nilphamari Upazila Parishad Over Inauguration Room

On the afternoon of August 25, 2026, a tense situation unfolded at the Syedpur Upazila Parishad premises in Nilphamari during the inauguration ceremony of the newly designated inspection room for members of parliament. The event, which was intended to launch a facility for lawmakers, quickly escalated into a public verbal altercation between Jamaat-e-Islami Member of Parliament Hafez Abdul Muntakim and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) reserved-seat female Member of Parliament Bilkis Islam.

The root of the confrontation stemmed from a dispute over the inaugural nameplate affixed to the inspection room, which exclusively featured the name of the Jamaat-e-Islami MP. Voicing her strong displeasure regarding the setup, BNP MP Bilkis Islam stated that Upazila Parishads are slated to have an inspection room serving as a seating area for MPs, where visiting ministers can also sit. She remarked that she was completely unaware the room was being inaugurated that day, noting that the Jamaat MP had claimed it would be opened, but asserted that he could not simply proceed according to his own wishes without consulting her.

Elaborating on her jurisdiction and party position, Bilkis Islam emphasized her role as a reserved-seat MP, noting that her responsibilities entrusted by her party cover Nilphamari-4 and Nilphamari-3 constituencies, alongside her status as a senior vice-president of her party, which is currently in government. She complained that she knew nothing about the proceedings and alleged that the administration had instructed the Jamaat MP to speak with the female MP, an instruction which was reportedly ignored. She further accused them of taking the keys and handling everything themselves in a manner akin to taking possession.

Addressing the issue of the plaque directly, Bilkis Islam argued that the room cannot bear solely the name of Hafez Abdul Muntakim because the facility is intended for all MPs, questioning why there should be a nameplate bearing only his name. While he apparently maintained that the geographical location fell within his purview, she countered that as a reserved-seat MP, her jurisdiction spans the entire country, pointing out that in Kishorganj and Jaldhaka inspection rooms, nameplates do not bear individual names.

When journalists sought a response regarding the controversy, Jamaat-e-Islami MP Hafez Abdul Muntakim declined to elaborate over the telephone. He stated that he would discuss what happened during an in-person meeting, expressing concern that phone statements often lead to discrepancies between what is spoken and what reporters choose to write, noting a recurring pattern in how previous remarks were covered.

Providing further context on the ground, Abdul Gafur Sarkar explained that the Jamaat MP's name was inscribed on the plaque, whereas plans had originally called for two names to be included, an omission he suggested might have been a mistake by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). He noted that the Jamaat MP claimed the Nilphamari-4 geographical area belonged to his domain and therefore warranted his name, while the female MP insisted that she was assigned to oversee Syedpur, Kishoreganj, and Jaldhaka, and thus possessed equal rights to utilize the space.

Meanwhile, Farah Fahema Taklima offered an administrative perspective on the unfolding dispute at the Syedpur Upazila Parishad. She stated that the inspection room falls within the jurisdiction of the honorable members of parliament, explaining that the room was prepared specifically for them and that the management of such a facility is entirely a matter for the lawmakers themselves.