Burichng Upazila

Burichang Upazila (comilla district) area 163.76 sq km, located in between 23°28' and 23°37 north latitude and in between 91°02' and 91°13' east longitudes. It is bounded by brahmanpara upazila on the north, comilla adarsha sadar upazila on the south, tripura state of India and Comilla Adarsha Sadar upazila on the east, debidwar and chandina upazilas on the west.

Population Total 259265; male 133469, female 125796. Muslim 249213, Hindu 9981 and others 71.

Water bodies Main rivers: gumti, Ghungur, noted canals are Chandala, Nagisabila, Uttar Borakhola, Marjora and Habilar are notable.

Administration 'Burichang thana, now an upazila, was formed in 1916.

Upazila
Municipality Union Mouza Village Population Density (per sq km) Literacy rate (%)
Urban Rural Urban Rural

-

8

150

172

9269

249996

1583

61.41

49.31

Upazila Town

Area (per sq km)

Mouza

Population

Density
(per sq km)

Literacy (%)

3.73

1

9269

2485

61.41

Union

Name of union and GO code

Area (acre)

Population

Literacy (%)

Male

Female

Pir Jatrapur 72

2768

10328

10085

44.95

Baksimail 06

6102

13922

13734

52.84

Burichang Sadar 31

3975

16885

15939

50.90

Bharella 12

4918

22200

19419

45.36

Mainamati 63

5070

17767

16771

57.21

Mokam 69

6105

22319

20291

41.46

Rajapur 75

5499

14060

13936

55.10

Sholanal 94

6030

15988

15621

53.04

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Ranir Bungalow of Rani Mainamati (wife of Raja Manik Chandra), Buddha statue, Terracotta, marks of Buddhist religion, Shiva statue.

History of the War of Liberation This upazila was under sector 2 during the war of liberation. In an encounter between the freedom fighters and the Pak army one freedom fighter was killed. In other encounters 20 freedom fighters were killed and 9 were wounded.

Religious institutions Mosque 290, temple 23, place of pilgrimage 1, tomb 9.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 49.75%; male 53.66%, female 45.63%. Educational institutions: college 9, secondary school 81, primary school 137, madrasa 40. Noted educational institutions: Burichang' Ananda Pilot High School (1920), Fakir Bazar High School (1941), Mithilapur Government Primary School (1908), Sreepur Senior Fazil Madrasa (1932)

Newspapers and periodicals Brahmanpara Burichang, Kriti' Brahmanpara Burichang.

Cultural organisations Library 1, club 42, press club 1, women's organisation 8, cinema hall 2, playground 18.'

Main sources of income Agriculture 55.56%, non-agricultural labourer 1.79%, industry 0.65%, commerce 14.96%, transport and communication 3.95%, service 10.62%, construction 1.56%, religious service 0.25%, rent and remittance 1.06% and others 9.6%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 71.23%, landless 28.77%; agricultural land owner: urban 71.05% and rural 71.24%.'

Main crops Paddy, potato, wheat, mustard, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops kaun, Linseed, sugarcane, jute, sweet potato and tobacco.

Main fruits Jackfruit, mango, papaya, banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 171, poultries 410, artificial breeding centre 1,' artificial breeding point 5, nursery 21.

Communication facilities Pucca road 118 km, mud road 425 km; railways 7 km, railway station 1, culvert 761,' heliport 1.

Extinct and nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage and bullock cart.

Noted manufactories Spinning mill, Silk industry, oil mill, saw mill, rice mill, paper board factory, boiler mill, welding factory, cold storage etc.

Cattage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, potteries, tailoring, woodwork, bamboo and cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 29, fairs 1, most noted of which are Kangshanagar Hat, Nanuar Bazar Hat, Saheb Bazar, Fakir Bazar Hat and Mainamati Mela, Baishakhi Mela at Nanuar Bazar.

Main exports Handloom fabrics, potato, vegetables.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.61%, pond 0.85%, tap 0.67% and others 3.87%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow bube well of this upazila.

Sanitation In this upazila 48.68% (rural 48.48% and urban 54.29%) of dwelling households of the upazilla use sanitary latrines and 39.71% (rural 39.54% and urban 44.42%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 11.61% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazilla health complex 1, family planning centre 6, EPI centre 192, clinic 2, community clinic 20, veterinary hospital 1, livestock development centre 1.

NGO activities brac, asa. [Mahfuzur Rahman]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Burichang Upazila 2007.