He just turned 22, and he's at the helm of an entire New Jersey town

PROSPECT PARK — Most people his age are just figuring out how to handle their personal finances.

Intashan Chowdhury has to reconcile a $6.5 million municipal budget.

Chowdhury, 22, the borough's new administrator, is believed to be one of the youngest town managers in New Jersey history, if not the youngest, and the first of Bengali descent.

"I have a lot of room to prove myself," Chowdhury said at his office on Friday. "The pressure is on. I wouldn't want it any other way. I want to work with a chip on my shoulder and earn every dollar that's given to me by the municipality."

Alan Zalkind, executive director of the New Jersey Municipal Managers Association, said he could not confirm Chowdhury's status as the youngest town manager in the state, but that he likely is among the youngest ever. He also said his Bengali heritage appears to be a "unique" trait for those holding similar positions.

LOCAL:Arab Americans urged to get involved in local government at seminar in Secaucus

PASSAIC:Two Passaic County men charged with attempted murder in connection to Clifton stabbing

LAW & ORDER:Passaic man charged with robbing delivery driver at gunpoint

Chowdhury, who oversees a staff of 26, not including the Police Department, has been administrator in an acting capacity since his predecessor, Danielle Ireland-Imhof, left to assume the duty of Passaic County clerk, a role she won in last month's general election.

Chowdhury, a Paterson native whose parents emigrated from Bangladesh, holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from the Newark campus of Rutgers. He is on course to receive a master's in the same discipline in the spring. He has interned for U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, state Assemblyman Raj Mukherji and other high-ranking elected officials.

Chowdhury now is paid $14.28 per hour, the same rate he earned as a part-time administrative assistant for the past 2½ years. His permanent appointment and $45,000 annual salary are expected to be approved without incident when the Borough Council convenes for its reorganization meeting on Jan. 5.

The meeting, at 2 p.m. at Prospect Park School, also will feature swearing-in ceremonies for Mayor Mohamed Khairullah, council President Esther Pérez and Councilman Alaa Matari.

Gov. Phil Murphy will administer the oath to the mayor.

Khairullah has known Chowdhury since he was his teacher in financial literacy at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne.

Despite his relative youth, the mayor said, Chowdhury possesses skills needed to be borough administrator.

"Making sure we have stability for a strong start to my next term as mayor is important," Khairullah said, adding that Chowdhury has "demonstrated he's capable of handling the job."

Chowdhury said he values his relationship with Khairullah, whom he considers a mentor. He likened their bond to the special connection between a football coach and quarterback, namely the Super Bowl-winning duo of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

"As much as I think I might know everything, I'm like that rookie quarterback," said Chowdhury, a New England Patriots fan. "And I always make that joke to the mayor: 'When are you going to let me audible at the line of scrimmage?' "

"Is it like a coach and quarterback? Sure," the mayor said.

"Is it like Belichick and Brady?" he asked, while laughing. "I don't know. That's his world."

Chowdhury acknowledged that his work is cut out for him. He said he already has clocked some long days at the office and that he has goals to enhance communication with the borough's 5,800-plus citizens. One of his primary objectives, he said, is to set up an emergency-notification system that residents would access through email and phone.

Chowdhury said he is devoted to fulfilling a long career with the borough.

"Young people aren't in this situation a lot, because they're so accustomed to moving around, from one organization to another," he said. "I stuck to my guns, here in Prospect Park, and I think it has paid off."

Email: devencentis@northjersey.com