Administrative geography of Bangladesh

Subdivisions of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের প্রশাসনিক অঞ্চল
Location	Bangladesh
Subdivisions	Type Number Division 8 District 64 City Corporation 11 Municipal Corporation 323 Upazila 488 Union Parishads ~4,553

Bangladesh is divided into 8 Divisions (Bibhag) and 64 Districts(Jela, Zila, Zela), although these have only a limited role in public policy. For the purposes of local government, the country is divided into Upazila, Thana and Union Council. The diagram below outlines the five tiers of government in Bangladesh.

Divisions

Main article: Divisions of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is divided into eight major administrative divisions (Bengali: বিভাগ Bibhag). Each division is named after the major city within its jurisdiction that serves as the administrative capital of that division:

• Barisal (বরিশাল Borishal)
• Chittagong (চট্টগ্রাম Chôţţogram)
• Dhaka (ঢাকা Đhaka)
• Mymensingh (ময়মনসিংহ Mymensingh)
• Khulna (খুলনা Khulna)
• Rajshahi (রাজশাহী Rajshahi)
• Rangpur (রংপুর Rongpur)
• Sylhet (সিলেট Silet)

Regions

Formerly Bangladesh was also divided into 21 regions, which formed an additional administrative level between the levels of the divisions and the districts:

• Bandarban region
• Barisal region
• Bogra region
• Chittagong region
• Chittagong Hill Tracts
• Comilla region
• Dhaka region
• Dinajpur region
• Faridpur region
• Jamalpur region
• Jessore region
• Khulna region
• Kushtia region
• Mymensingh region
• Noakhali region
• Pabna region
• Patuakhali region
• Rajshahi region
• Rangpur region
• Sylhet region
• Tangail region

Districts

Main article: Districts of Bangladesh

The divisions are divided into 64 districts, or zila (Bengali: জেলা jela). Each district is run by a Deputy Commissioner (popularly abbreviated to "DC") who is appointed by the government from a Deputy secretary of B.C.S. Administration Cadre.

Division	Number	Districts
Barisal	6	Barguna Barisal Bhola Jhalokati Patuakhali Pirojpur
Chittagong	11	Bandarban Brahmanbaria Chandpur Chittagong Comilla Cox's Bazar Feni Khagrachari Lakshmipur Noakhali Rangamati
Dhaka	13	Dhaka Faridpur Gazipur Gopalganj Kishoreganj Madaripur Manikganj Munshiganj Narayanganj Narsingdi Rajbari Shariatpur Tangail
Khulna	10	Bagerhat Chuadanga Jessore Jhenaidah Khulna Kushtia Magura Meherpur Narail Satkhira
Mymensingh	4	Jamalpur Mymensingh Netrokona Sherpur
Rajshahi	8	Bogra Jaipurhat Naogaon Natore Nawabganj Pabna Rajshahi Sirajganj
Rangpur	8	Dinajpur Gaibandha Kurigram Lalmonirhat Nilphamari Panchagarh Rangpur Thakurgaon
Sylhet	4	Habiganj Moulvibazar Sunamganj Sylhet
Total	64

Subdistricts

Main article: Subdistricts of Bangladesh

The districts are divided into subdistricts called Upazila (Bengali উপজেলা upojela). Upazilas are similar to the county subdivisions found in some Western countries. At present Bangladesh has 488 upazilas. The Local Government Ordinance of 1982 was amended a year later, redesignating and upgrading many existing thanas as upazilas.

Local level

City Corporations

See also: List of City Corporations of Bangladesh

The cities with a city corporation, having mayoral elections, include Dhaka South, Dhaka North, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Barisal, Rangpur, Comilla and Gazipur. The city corporation are divided into wards, which are further divided into mahallas. Direct elections are held for each ward, electing a councillor. The city mayors are elected for a span of five years.

Municipal Corporations

See also: List of Municipal Corporations of Bangladesh

In the metropolitan areas, excluding the cities with city corporations, have municipal corporations, also known as Pourasabha. Pourasabhas are divided into wards, which are further divided into Mauzas and Mahallas. Direct elections are held for each ward, electing a chairperson and a number of members. The municipal heads are elected for a span of five years.

Union Councils

Further information: Union Councils of Bangladesh

Union Councils (or Union Parishads or Unions) are the smallest rural administrative and local government units in Bangladesh. Each Union is made up of nine Wards. Usually one village is designated as a Ward. There are 4,553 Unions in Bangladesh. A Union Council consists of a Chairman and twelve members including three members exclusively reserved for women. Union Parishads are formed under the Local Government (Union Parishads) Act, 2009. The boundary of each Union is demarcated by the Deputy Commissioner of the District. A Union Council is the body primarily responsible for agricultural, industrial and community development within the local limits of the union.

Lowest level

Villages

Further information: Villages of Bangladesh

Mahallas

Further information: Mahalla (Bangladesh)

Wards

Further information: Wards of Bangladesh

Mouzas

Further information: Mouza

See also

• Divisions of Bangladesh
• Districts of Bangladesh
• Upazilas of Bangladesh
• Unions of Bangladesh
• Villages of Bangladesh