Lalmai Residents Demand Inclusion of Historic Hills in Upazila Jurisdiction

Established in 2017 as Cumilla’s 17th upazila, Lalmai brought long-awaited administrative relief to over 300,000 residents previously burdened by distant civic services. However, despite bearing the name “Lalmai,” the upazila’s current administrative boundaries exclude the historic red clay hills of Lalmai Hill. Local residents are now strongly urging authorities to redraw the jurisdiction to incorporate these historic hills.
Since 1971, the region has been part of the greater Laksam upazila, forcing residents to undertake time-consuming trips southward for official and land administrative tasks.

Subsequent political restructuring linked the area to Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Upazila, but the long travel distances and commuting hassles persisted.
The formation of Lalmai Upazila comprising nine unions finally reduced dependence on Sadar Dakshin and Laksam, making public services accessible closer to home.

Residents Express Relief over Convenient Administrative Access
Kamal Miah, a local tea vendor, shared that securing an NID card for his elder daughter at Sadar Dakshin took four days and cost around 800 BDT in travel. In contrast, obtaining his son’s NID at Lalmai cost only 20 BDT, calling the convenient service a major relief.

Amin Miah, a farmer, noted that distance previously deterred him from accessing government assistance, but having the upazila office nearby now allows him to easily receive support and updates.
To preserve the area’s historical identity, political leaders, civic figures, and residents are calling for key portions of the Lalmai hills—specifically parts of Barapara Union currently under Sadar Dakshin to be annexed to Lalmai Upazila.

During an exchange meeting at the Lalmai administrative complex, local journalist Masud Rana officially presented this demand to the Deputy Commissioner of Cumilla, drawing strong backing from the attendees.
Mobasher Alam Bhuiyan, Member of Parliament for Cumilla-10, voiced his support, stating he is fully aware of the public sentiment and intends to raise this legitimate claim in the National Parliament if necessary.
Aligning administrative boundaries with the historic Lalmai hills remains a unified demand across the upazila.