Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO)
chief executive of an upazila (sub-district), a newly created post in
accordance with a decision made by the military regime of General Hussain
Muhammad Ershad. In 1982, the Ershad government constituted a committee for administrative
reorganisation and reform. One of the major recommendations of the committee
was to have a representative body called upazila parishad (council) under a
directly elected chairman. The government did accept this recommendation and
accordingly a post, designated first as thana nirbahi officer (thana executive
officer) but later renamed as upazila nirbhahi officer (UNO), was created in
each of the existing thanas (later upgraded and renamed as upazila) outside the
metropolitan areas. About the same time all the existing subdivisions were
upgraded and converted into districts. Responsibilities for all development
activities at local level were transferred to the upazila parishads. It was
also decided that the UNO should continue to act as chairman of upazila
parishad till such time an elected chairman takes office.
The UNOs were normally posted
from among the senior scale officers of the administration cadre of the
Bangladesh Civil Service. The charter of duties of UNO stipulated him to
perform such functions as to: (i) act as staff officer to the elected chairman
of upazila parishad and thus in that capacity assist the chairman in
implementing all policies and decisions of the parishad; (ii) assist the
parishad/chairman in supervising all upazila level administrative/ development
work and in preparing as well a coordinated upazila development plan; (iii)
exercise powers under section 144 of criminal procedure code and sit in court
to perform functions such as taking cognizance of cases, hearing bail matters,
granting adjournment, etc, in times when the upazila magistrate is unable to
attend the court; (iv) initiate annual confidential reports (ACR) of all thana
level officers except the munsiff-magistrate; (v) attend emergency duties such
as relief work following natural calamities and receive food and other
materials for distribution under the direction of upazila parishad/chairman;
(vi) supervise and control revenue and budget administration; (vii) ensure the
observance of all government directives on upazila administration; (viii)
co-ordinate all upazila level training activities; (ix) grant casual leave and
countersign as well the travelling allowance bills of the heads of all
functional departments except that of the munsiff; (x) act as drawing and
disbursing officer in respect of officers and staff working directly under him;
(xi) supervise activities of the officers and staff working under him; (xii)
protocol duties; and finally (xiii) perform such other functions as what would
be entrusted to him by the government or the upazila parishad/chairman.