Pirganj in Thakurgaon Faces Administrative Crisis Due to UNO Vacancy

Sources revealed that although the former UNO of Pirganj, Md Ramiz Alam, was transferred to Rangpur as an additional deputy commissioner on January 21, the newly appointed UNO, Md Rakibul Hasan from Ranisankail, has yet to take charge. The Ministry of Public Administration has yet to issue an official order regarding the appointment, further delaying the process.

In the absence of a permanent UNO, the responsibility has fallen on Assistant Commissioner (Land), Ishfakul, who is shouldering multiple roles, including those of the municipal mayor and the Upazila Parishad chairman. He is also overseeing the governance of around 200 educational institutions.

The lack of leadership is causing mounting frustration among local officials and residents. Service seekers are facing significant delays as essential documents remain unsigned. Rahmat, a local resident, shared his struggle, saying, “I’ve visited the Upazila Parishad for four consecutive days, just to get a signature, but each time, the officer is unavailable.”

Mokhlesur Rahman Chowdhury, a Union Parishad chairman, expressed similar concerns. “The AC (Land) is often unavailable due to his other responsibilities, and when he is available, he refuses to sign certain documents. This is seriously disrupting Union Parishad operations,” he said.

AC (Land) Ishfakul admitted that the situation is overwhelming, with his additional duties stretching his capacity. “The workload is immense, and I’m doing my best to manage everything. But it’s clear that a permanent UNO is urgently needed here,” he said.

Thakurgaon’s Deputy Commissioner, Ishrat Farzana, confirmed that the issue has been escalated to higher authorities, and she expressed hope that a new UNO would be appointed soon to restore normalcy in Pirganj’s administrative functions.