Jhalokathi, Oct 25 (V7N) – The former Jhalokathi town Awami League office on the third floor of a building owned by former Jhalokathi mayor and municipal Awami League president Liaquat Ali Talukder is now being used as the district office of the National Citizen Party (NCP), triggering discussion in local political circles.

The NCP office was inaugurated on Wednesday, October 21, at the building on Court Road in Jhalokathi town. However, conflicting claims have emerged over whether the premises previously housed an Awami League office.

Mohammad Mithu Talukder, son of the building owner, said the third-floor room had been used as a municipal Awami League office seven or eight years ago by his brother, Monirul Islam Talukder, also known as Moni. He said his father did not use that room and instead operated from a separate office on the ground floor.

“Seven or eight years ago, there was an Awami League office here. My brother used the room as his office. That is true,” Mithu Talukder said, adding that the room remained closed much of the time.

According to Mithu, after the Awami League office ceased operating, the room was rented to an insurance company. After the company left, his son used the space to keep pet birds. The family later decided to rent it out again.

“We thought it would generate some income. We did not realise this would create controversy,” he said.

However, NCP Jhalokathi district senior joint convener Mostafa Kamal denied that the room had ever been an Awami League office. He said the party rented the premises this month and that an insurance company had previously operated there.

“There was never an Awami League office here. That is completely false,” Kamal said, adding that he had seen a boat symbol displayed in front of the former mayor’s residence during the Awami League’s tenure.

NCP Joint Member Secretary and southern region joint chief organiser Dr Mahmuda Mitu, who attended the inauguration as chief guest, said the party had rented the room for its district office after paying a security deposit. She said she was unaware of any previous Awami League office there and understood that the premises had earlier been used by an insurance company.

Mitu was joined at the inauguration by Masuma Hadi, sister of Sharif Osman Hadi, and NCP district convener engineer H M Zakir Hossain, who chaired the event. Party leaders from district and upazila levels also attended.

The building’s ownership and its alleged political history have since become subjects of discussion on social media. Facebook users Sayeed Ahmed and Raju Banik Akash posted claims and comments about the building’s previous use and the owner’s political affiliations.

Some local residents, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that Liaquat Ali Talukder had changed his political position at different times and suggested that renting the premises to the NCP could be an attempt to protect his political interests. These claims could not be independently verified.

Liaquat Ali Talukder is a former mayor of Jhalokathi municipality and former president of its Awami League unit. His son Monirul Islam Talukder previously served as treasurer of the Jhalokathi district Awami League. Both have been described locally as close to former Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu.

Repeated attempts to contact Liaquat Ali Talukder for comment were unsuccessful.

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