8 out of 10 government allocated mosques in Jamaat MP's area

The government has allocated 10 mosques for the development of Chapainawabganj-2 (Nachol-Gomastapur-Bholahat) constituency. Eight of them have gone to Gomastapur, the home upazila of Jamaat MP Dr. Mu. Mizanur Rahman from this constituency. The remaining two have been allocated to Nachol and Bholahat, the other two upazilas of the constituency. The mosque allocated in Nachol is in the home village of Munirul Islam, the Ameer of the municipal unit Jamaat.

Local people have alleged discrimination in the matter. They said that the MP has discriminated against the people of the other two upazilas by allocating eight mosques in his own area.

It was found that a total of Tk3 million was allocated for 10 mosques in Nachol, Gomastapur and Bholahat upazilas under the government's Social Infrastructure Development Project-2.

There are a total of 16 unions and two municipalities under Chapainawabganj-2 constituency, half of which are in Gomostapur. There are eight unions and one municipality in this upazila. But 80 percent of the allocated mosques are being built there.

The list includes old Prasadpur Dakshin Para Jame Mosque in Rahanpur Municipality, Shahi Jame Mosque in Rahanpur Railway Station Bazar and Nungola Jame Mosque in Rohanpur Municipality, which is MP Mizanur Rahman's home area. There are also Santoshpur Jame Mosque, Darabaz Gabtola Jame Mosque, Digha Bazar Jame Mosque, Palashdanga Jame Mosque and Kashia Bari Purbapara Jame Mosque in Gomostapur Upazila. The remaining two upazilas have been allocated one mosque each—the Muradpur Paschimpara Old Jame Mosque in Nachol Municipality and the Madhya Kharakpur Jame Mosque in Daldali Union in Bholahat Upazila.

Local resident Obaidullah calls the allocation of eight mosques in one upazila and only one in the remaining two upazilas discrimination. He said, "If this allocation was distributed on the basis of equality, then two mosques should have been allocated for the two municipalities of the two upazilas (Nachol and Bholahat) and one mosque for each of the two unions. Accordingly, Nachol upazila should have received three mosques, Bholahat three and Gomostapur upazila four mosques. But that did not happen. Here the MP made discrimination."

Nachol upazila BNP president Md. Majidul Islam said, "The mosque allocated for development in Nachol is in the area of ​​the Jamaat municipal ameer. This is not right at all."

Bholahat upazila BNP chief Yazdani George said, "Of course, discrimination has been done. Each upazila should have been allocated proportionally."

Meanwhile, local Jamaat leaders admitted their mistake in the face of criticism. Nachol Upazila Jamaat Ameer Yakub Ali said, "All the allocations made earlier were made on the basis of equality. This time there was a slight mistake. We talked to the MP and adjustments will be made in the next allocation." In this regard, MP Dr. Mizanur Rahman said, "I was not aware of the matter at the beginning. A list was immediately requested. It was approved. Later, I saw that 10 mosques were allocated for development in my constituency. The list was made from the applications in my file. Later, it was seen that the number was higher in Gomostapur Upazila. Keeping this in mind, upazila-based equality will be ensured in the next allocation."