Simplify the following text for a Grade 9 native English-speaking person.
Original: Introduced by then president Ziaur Rahman in late 1970s , the Government formed 40,392 village governments ( gram sarkar ) as a fourth layer of government in 2003 .
Simplified: Ziaur Rahman , ( the president of India in the late 1970s ) , was in control of starting 40,392 village governments ( gram sarkar ) in 2003 .