Upazila
Administrative divisions of Bangladesh / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An upazila (Bengali: উপজেলা, romanized: upajēlā, lit. 'sub-district' pronounced: ['upɘdʒeːlaː]), formerly called thana, is an administrative division in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a borough of Western countries. Rural upazilas are further administratively divided into union council areas (union parishads).
Upazila | |
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Category | Administrative divisions |
Location | Bangladesh |
Created |
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Number | 495 |
Populations | 596,886–1,634,750 |
Areas | 572–2,829 km2 |
Government |
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Subdivisions |
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Bangladesh has 495 upazilas.[1][2][3] The upazilas are the second lowest tier of regional administration in Bangladesh. The administrative structure consists of divisions (8), districts (64), upazilas (495) and union parishads (UPs). This system of devolution was introduced by the former military ruler and president of Bangladesh, Lt-Gen Hossain Muhammad Ershad, in an attempt to strengthen local government.
Below UPs, villages (gram) and para exist, but these have no administrative power and elected members. The Local Government Ordinance of 1982 was amended a year later, redesignating and upgrading the existing thanas as upazilas.[4]