Two ministers have become embroiled in a tug-of-war over whether Northern Electricity Supply Company (Nesco), the region’s lone power distributor, should remain in Rajshahi or be moved to Bogura — their respective hometowns.
Intriguingly, neither Land Minister Mizanur Rahman Minu nor LGRD State Minister Mir Shahe Alam has any official role in the power ministry.
Shahe Alam sparked the row by sending a demi-official letter urging the relocation to Bogura for smoother connectivity with Rangpur division.
Minu quickly hit back, defending Rajshahi’s claim and saying, “Rajshahi’s institutions will remain in Rajshahi. Nothing will be moved out.”
Rather than focusing on administrative costs or efficiency, Minu framed the issue as a matter of regional pride.
The political bickering has drawn criticism.
Rajshahi University economics professor Farid Uddin Khan warned against allowing personal rivalries to influence utility governance, saying any relocation decision should be based on practical necessity and financial logic rather than political considerations.
Personal attacks
The dispute soon descended into personal attacks.
Addressing a gathering in Rajshahi, Mizanur Rahman Minu took a direct swipe at Mir Shahe Alam, dismissing his rival as “some contractor” and saying, “Being a minister or MP is not more important to me. I was born on this soil and I will die on this soil. No institution belonging to Rajshahi will go anywhere.”
Shahe Alam had earlier fuelled the controversy with his own remarks, criticising opposition to the proposed relocation.
“The people of Rajshahi keep shouting all day,” he said. “Look at where Rajshahi is and where Panchagarh is, yet the service extends all the way there. Why does it hurt you so much? Don’t take it so hard, brother. Let the head office be in Bogura; you can have the zonal office.”
‘Political’ remarks
What began as an administrative proposal has now turned into a political dispute over regional influence, administrative control and local sentiment across northern Bangladesh.
In Rajshahi, civil society groups, business organisations and local politicians have protested against the proposed relocation, questioning why an established regional hub should be moved.
In Bogura, supporters of Shahe Alam staged a human-chain demonstration at Satmatha in favour of shifting the headquarters.
“The Power Ministry will not simply jump into a decision like this — it will look at the actual benefits first,” Shahe Alam told TIMES of Bangladesh, seeking to downplay the controversy. “At the end of the day, it is their decision. It is probably best if we step back and let them handle it.”
Asked why he submitted the proposal in the first place, he defended his geographical argument.
“Bogura is simply in the middle. Expecting people from Panchagarh or Rangpur to travel all the way to Rajshahi just to reach the headquarters is a nightmare. That is the only reason I put the proposal forward,” he said.
Minu, however, remains opposed to the move, arguing that Nesco is a Rajshahi institution.
‘Economics should be considered’
Professor Farid Uddin Khan told TIMES that Nesco’s customers were not complaining about service quality, making the relocation debate difficult to justify.
“This should not be about regional ego or political sentiment,” he said. “Moving the headquarters of a major state-owned organisation involves substantial costs. Under the current economic realities, we must first assess whether there is any genuine practical need or sufficient budget to justify such a move.”
The controversy has touched a sensitive issue in Rajshahi. When an additional Roads and Highways office was previously set up in Bogura, it left Rajshahi division with two such offices, which many residents view as another sign of the region’s declining importance.
Where the headquarters was meant to be
When Nesco was launched in 2016, Bogura was originally selected as the headquarters because of its central location between Rajshahi and Rangpur, with land also acquired for the purpose.
However, what was intended to be a temporary arrangement in Rajshahi continued for nearly a decade.
The debate resurfaced after a newly formed feasibility committee backed relocating the headquarters to Bogura and recommended moving ahead with the plan.
Its report highlighted the need for stronger supervision in Rangpur, where weak oversight, staffing shortages and logistical challenges have contributed to poor revenue collection and higher system losses.
Distance currently limits regular field visits by senior officials, while Rangpur officials spend considerable time and money travelling to Rajshahi for administrative work.
After inspecting 51.59 acres of land in Bogura Sadar on 3 April, the committee found that existing facilities, including an engineer’s office, rest houses and residential buildings, could accommodate the managing director’s team with scope for future expansion.
The move would reduce the distance to Rangpur from 218km to 105km, while keeping Rajshahi within 113km.
It would also shorten the distance to Dhaka by 62km, improving coordination with the Power Division and reducing operational costs.
Nesco Managing Director Md Mashiur Rahman supports the relocation, saying the current location creates challenges for field-level supervision.
He clarified that only the corporate executive office would move to Bogura, while the chief engineer’s office, Planning Division and core data centre would remain in Rajshahi to ensure operational continuity.
