[2] The role of the UNO was created in accordance with a decision by the military regime of Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

One of the committee's major recommendations was to create a representative body called upazila porishod (council) under a directly elected chair.

About the same time, subdivisions were upgraded and converted into districts, responsibility for all development activities at the local level was transferred to the upazila porishads.

UNOs were normally posted from among the officers ranked as "senior assistant secretary" of the BCS Administration cadre.

[6] Upazila nirbahi officers are appointed by Ministry of Public Administration through B.C.S Cabinet Division directly controls and supervises the activities of UNO.