District administration is the apex office of a district within the current administrative framework of Bangladesh. It manages affairs within a district, which is the basic territorial unit of administration in the country. At this level, the general public has direct contact with the administration. The district is overseen by a district officer, known as the Deputy Commissioner, District Collector, or District Magistrate, who acts as the representative of the central government at this level. Like other district administrations in the country, the District Administration of Rangamati, commonly referred to as the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, serves as the representative of the cabinet in the Rangamati Hill District.
Evolution of Rangamati District Administration Bangladesh's entire public administration structure reflects its colonial past. Present-day Bangladesh was part of the British Empire for almost two hundred years and became known as East Pakistan under Pakistani rule in 1947. The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 led to Bangladesh's independence.
British era Before 1860, the Chittagong Hill Tracts was a part of Chittagong District and was administered by the Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong. In 1860, the Chittagong Hill Tracts was separated from Chittagong District and established as a distinct district. This change followed an attack in 1859 by tribal people from the east on a fort near the Kaptai Canal. In response, the Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong decided to enhance security for the tribal people and proposed to the Governor of Bengal that the region be separated from the Chittagong District. The proposal was accepted and enacted on 1 August 1860 by Act XXII of that year. An officer titled Superintendent was appointed, and Captain McGrath became the first Superintendent of the district, responsible for implementing British rule under the provisions of the Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong.
In 1867, the designation of the ruler changed from Superintendent to Deputy Commissioner. The first administrative headquarters of the district was established at Chandraghona in 1863, but it was transferred to Rangamati in 1868, with the move becoming effective the following year. Captain T. H. Lewin was the first Deputy Commissioner to move to Rangamati permanently.
However, in 1891, the Chittagong Hill Tracts lost its status as a district due to the British conquest of the Lushai Hills, which diminished its importance. It was then made a sub-division of the Chittagong District, with an Assistant Commissioner given authority over it. In 1900, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation 1900 was enacted to administer the area, reinstating its status as a district. The officer in charge of the district was once again titled Superintendent. At this time, the district was divided into three sub-divisions: Rangamati, Bandarban, and Ramgarh, each with its own Sub-Divisional Officer.
In 1979, three more sub-divisions were created through separate gazettes. In 1920, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation 1900 was amended, renaming the ruler of the district as the Deputy Commissioner. An Indian Civil Service officer was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and subordinate officers were designated as Deputy Magistrates or Deputy Collectors and Sub-Deputy Magistrates or Sub-Deputy Collectors.
Pakistan Era In 1960, under the provisions of Basic Democracy, 11 Thana Parishads and 39 Union Parishads were created in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Later, these Thanasis were renamed upazilas. The Kaptai Hydropower Station, established in 1960, brought significant changes to the socioeconomic aspects of the local population. More than 100,000 people were affected by this project.
Present organogram
The Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate are at the top of the office hierarchy. Multiple Additional Deputy Commissioners assist the Deputy Commissioner. While many districts have five to six Additional Deputy Commissioners, the Rangamati Hill District has three. Assistant Commissioners work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Commissioner and Additional Deputy Commissioners, each overseeing different sections of the office. A Senior Assistant Commissioner serves as the Nezarat Deputy Collector. Each section includes a clerk, a member of the Lower Subordinate Staff (MLSS), bearers, and other support staff. The Senior Clerk is known as the Head Assistant of the section.
Deputy commissioners and district magistrates who served
British Period SL. No. Name Year 01. Captain Magrath 1860 02. Mr. G. Macgill 1864 03. Mr. J.S.K. Kilby 1865 04. Mr. T.H. Lewin 1866-69 05. Mr. E. Raity 1869-70 06 Mr. T.H. Lewin
1871-74 07. Mr. A.W. Power 1874-7608. Mr. J. Anderson 1876-77 09. Mr. A.F. Gordon 1881 10. Mr. L.R. Forbes 1882-8411. Mr. C.A.S. Reford 1884-86 12. Mr. C. Owen 1887 13. Mr. L.R. Forbes 1887 14. Mr. C.S.S. Redford 1891 15. Mr. C.S. Masray 1891 16. Mr. F.C. Daly 1891 17. Mr. C.S. Munay 1892 18. Mr. J.A. Cave-Browne 1893 19. Mr. C.S. Munay 1893 20. Mr. R.H.S. Hutchinson 1894 21. Mr. C.S. Munay 1894-96 22 Mr. J.A. Cave-Browne 1896 23. Mr. W.N. Deleirgne 1897 24. Mr. F.P. Dixon 1897 25. Mr. J.A. Cave-Browne 1898 26. Mr. R.H.S. Hutchinson 1899 27. Mr. R.A. Stephen 1901 28. Mr. R. A. Stephenson, CSI, CIE 1904 29. Mr. R.H.S. Hutchinson 1906 30. Mr. H.L. Fell 1908 31. Mr. J.B. McDermott 1909 32. Mr. R.A. Stephen 1910 33. Mr. R. H.S. Hutchinson 1911 34. Mr. J.W. McDermott 1911 35. Mr. R.A. Stephen 1911 36. Mr. O. Mawson 1912 37. Mr. A.J.W. Hanis 1916 38. Mr. O. Mawson 1916 39. Mr. A.J.W. Hanis 1917 40. Mr. O Mawson 1918 41. Mr. A. J.W. Hanis 1919 42. Mr. J. Younie 1920 43. Mr. H.R. Wilkinson 1920 44. Mr. G.A. Stevens 1922 45. Mr. T.M. Dow 1923 46. Mr. C.G.B. Stevens 1923 47. Mr. A.S. Hands 1927 48. Hon’ble Rai S.C. Basu Bahadur 1929 49. Mr. A.S. Hands 1929 50. Mr. S.K. Ghosh 1931 51. Mr. W.H.T. Ghushi 1934 52. Mr. S. Dutt 1936 53. Mr. W.H.J. Christe 1936 54. Lt. Col. G. L. Hyde, O.B.E. 1937 55. Mr. A. K. Ghosh 1939
Pakistan Period
SL. No. Name Year 56. Lt. Col. G. L. Hyde, O.B.E. 14-8-1947 to 31-1-1948 57. Major L.H. Niblett 1-2-1948 to 24-12-1950 58. Lt. Col. J. A. Hume 25-12-1950 to 15-8-1953 59. Mr. M. H. Shah, C.S.P. 30-9-1953 to 30-6-1954 60. Major L.H. Niblett 1-7-1954 to 11-12-1956 61. Mr. S. Afzal Agha, C.S.P. 15-2-1957 to 21-8-1958 62. Mr. M.A. Kareem Iqbal, C.S.P. 22-8-1958 to 12-2-1960 63. Mr. Helaluddin Ahmed Chowdhury, C.S.P. 13-2-1960 to 24-1-1964 64. Mr. S.Z. Khan, C.S.P. 10-2-1963 to 1-7-1964 65. Mr. M.S. Rahman, C.S.P. 1-8-1964 to 5-8-1966 66. Mr. L.R. Khan, C.S.P. 9-8-1966 to 23-7-1969 67. Mr. H.T. Imam, C.S.P. 24-7-1969 to 14-05-1971
Bangladesh Period SL. No. Name Year 68. Mr. Aminul Islam, C.S.P. 15-5-1971 to 15-12-1971 69. Mr. M. E. Sharif 26-12-1971 to 20-03-1972 70. Mr. Jinnat Ali 21–03.1972 to 10.05.1973 71. Mr. M. Sharafath Ullah 11-05-1973 to 16–04.1974 72. Mr. A. M. A. Kadir 17-04-1974 to 09-01-1976 73. Mr. Ali Haider Khan 09-01-1976 to 06-03-1983 74. Mr. M. A. Malek 18.04.1983 to 03.09.1985 75. Mr. Md. Shafiqul Islam 03-09-1985 to 22-01-1990 76. Mr. Md. Aftabuddin 22-01-1990 to 02-07-1992 77. Mr. Mohammed Hasan 02-07-1992 to 30-11-1995 78. Mr. Md. Kamal Uddin 02-12-1995 to 24-04-1996 79. Mr. Shah Alam 24-04-1996 to 08-09-1999 80. Mr. Md. Abu Haider Sardar 08-09-1999 to 09-07-2001 81. Mr. Md. Azmal Hossain 10-07-2001 to 05-08-2001 82. Dr. Zafar Ahmed Khan 06-08-2001 to 15-02-2005 83. Gazi Mohammad Julhash 15-02-2005 to 28-08-2006 84. Mr. Harun-Ur-Rashid Khan 29-08-2006 to 16-05-2007 85. Mr. Md. Nurul Amin 16-05-2007 to 24-03-2009 86. Mr. Saurendra Nath Chakrabhartty 24-03-2009 to 27/05/2012 87. Md. Mostafa Kamal 28/05/2012 to 24/12/2014 88. Md. Shamsul Arefin 24/12/2014 to 17/09/201689. Md. Mohammad Manzarul Mannan18/09/2016 to present
Functions
District magistracy
Law and order The District Magistrate plays a vital role in maintaining law, order, and discipline. The rules and regulations of the country grant significant authority to the District Magistrate. The District Magistrate serves as the Chairperson of the District Law and Order Committee, while the Superintendent of Police of the district is the Vice Chairman. The District Magistrate also reports to the Cabinet regarding the law and order situation in the district, according to the Police Regulations of Bengal.
Land administration District Administration originally focused primarily on collecting land revenue. The administrative system was established by the East India Company for this purpose. Over time, criminal prosecution, administration, coordination of government offices, and development activities were added to the responsibilities of district administration. The Deputy Commissioner, serving as the district collector, collects revenue within the jurisdiction of the district. Rangamati, as part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, maintains a different revenue collection system compared to other districts in the country.
Innovation in services
Mid-day meal The District Administration has initiated various programs to bring about positive changes in the educational sector of the district. Currently, the administration provides support to underprivileged students in the district.
Distribution of free school dress to students The Rangamati District Administration has initiated a program to distribute school uniforms to primary school students. This program, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati, includes the distribution of school bags, umbrellas, and uniforms to hundreds of students. The aim of this program is to reduce student dropout rates and encourage parents to send their children to school by creating a sense of appreciation and support.
Bungalow of the Deputy Commissioner & District Magistrate
Bungalow Museum The DC Bungalow Museum was established in 2010 by the then Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati, Mr. Saurendra Nath Chakraborty. The museum was inaugurated by H. T. Imam, the first Cabinet Secretary of Bangladesh, who was also the Deputy Commissioner of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in 1969. The museum exhibits photographs of all the Deputy Commissioners and includes items such as a British-era typewriter and a hundred-year-old weight. Additionally, the museum has a collection of government-published calendars from the past 50 years.
Circuit House The Circuit House in Rangamati is under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner. It is considered one of the best circuit houses in the country. The circuit house features six rooms, all of which are equipped with modern amenities and are fully air-conditioned.
BIAM Laboratory School The BIAM Laboratory School is a joint venture between the District Administration of Rangamati and the Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management (BIAM) Foundation, Dhaka. The school was established in 2012. Md. Mostafa Kamal, the former Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati, took the initiative to establish a quality English medium school in Rangamati. The BIAM School has its own campus in the Tabalchari area. The Assistant Commissioner of the Education and Welfare Section serves as the principal of the school.
References