Bangladesh adds three new Upazilas

The Bangladesh government has approved the addition of three new Upazilas, raising the total number in the country to 495.

The approval was granted at a meeting of the National Implementation Committee for Administrative Reorganisation-Reform, or NICAR, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.

Upazila status was granted to Eidgaon in Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Dasar in Madaripur’s Kalkini and Madhyanagar in Sunamganj’s Dharmapasha, said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam after the meeting.

“In addition, at the request of locals, Sunamganj Upazila has been renamed Shantiganj.”

“Local residents in these areas were having trouble receiving Upazila services because they were too far from the Upazila centres.”

“The three that were recognised as Upazilas used to be Thanas. They do not fulfil all the criteria to be Upazilas, but NICAR agreed because they were all in remote areas. NICAR has also decided that it will not accept any future proposals for areas that do not meet the criteria.”