Chakaria Upazila

Chakaria Upazila (cox’s bazar district) area 503.83 sq km, located in between 21°34' and 21°55' north latitudes and in between 91°54' and 92°54' east longitudes. It is bounded by lohagara and banshkhali upazilas on the north, cox’s Bazar Sadar and ramu upazilas on the south, Lama and naikhongchhari upazilas on the east, maheshkhali and pekua upazilas on the west.

Population Total 474465; male 239198, female 235267; Muslim 442799, Hindu 26142, Buddhist 4207, Christian 1265 and others 52. Indigenous communities such as Mag, marma, Murong and chakma belong to this upazila.

Water bodies The upazila is surrounded by matamuhuri, Bara Matamuhuri, Maheshkhali and Kutubdia Channel.

Administration Chakaria Thana was formed in 1793 and it was turned into an upazila in April 1983

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	18	48	212	72669	401796	942	61.3	45.1

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
15.76	9	23	72669	4611	61.3

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kayar Beel 61	1970	9688	9771	43.3
Kakhara 55	10585	11427	11402	45.8
Konakhali 69	2781	8479	9440	33.9
Khuntakhali 67	19249	17212	16876	45.7
Chiringa 27	7829	7955	7790	43.0
Dulahazara 33	10501	21642	21262	49.5
Demusia 31	2462	6067	6299	38.6
Paschim Bara Bheola 94	6017	4413	4392	51.3
Purba Bara Bheola 39	2143	14622	13626	49.5
Faisakhali 44	4405	12588	12549	44.7
Baraitali 16	6501	18268	17317	51.6
Badarkhali 10	4380	15677	15287	40.2
Bamo Bilchhari 12	3505	4336	4235	50.9
Bheola Manik Char 22	6321	9947	10004	37.2
Lakhyarchar 72	1224	4029	4040	57.0
Surajpur Manikpur 55	3738	5812	5826	46.3
Saharbil 80	10249	10125	9755	51.6
Harbang 50	17099	19583	20055	44.0

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Tomb of Shah Umar, Sat-gumbad Masjid of Fazl Quke at Manikpur (1873).

War of Liberation During the War of Liberation the Pak army shot 13 villagers dead and burnt more than one hundred houses and shops in different places of the upazila. A memorial monument was built in the memory of Shaheed Abdul Hamid, who died in the War of Liberation.

For details: see চকরিয়া উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৩।

Religious institutions Mosque 455, temple 52, church 3, pagoda 16.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 47.6%; Male 47.9%, Female 47.4%. Educational institutions: college 4, secondary school 34, primary school 153, satellite school 19, madrasa 983. Noted educational institutions: Chakaria Govt. High School (1919), Chakaria Multilateral Adarsha High School, Manikpur Burmese Govt. Primary School (1828), Harbang Govt. Primary School (1884), Pekua Government Primary School (1918), Saharbil Anwarul Ulum Senior Madrasa (1918).

Newspapers and periodicals Weekly: Chakori, fortnightly: Mehdi.

Cultural organisations Club 52, literary organisation 3, women's organisation 22, theatre group 2, playground 50.

Tourist spots Dulahazara Safari Park, Chakaria Sundarban, Dulahazara Deer Breeding Centre, Dighi of Bir Kamala.

Main sources of income Agriculture 53.09%, non-agricultural labourer 7.80%, industry 0.75%, commerce 15.01%, transport and communication 2.94%, service 6.7%, construction 1.1%, religious service 0.24%, rent and remittance 1.13% and others 11.24%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 34.30%, landless 65.70%; agricultural landowner: urban' 25.95% and rural 35.19%.

Main crops Paddy, potato, mustard, sweet potato, chili, corn, sugarcane, wheat, peanut, betel leaf, tobacco, cauliflower, tomato, cabbage, brinjal, lady's finger, barbati, felon.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Lentil, gram, kaun, linseed.'

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, papaya, pine-apple, guava, lemon, watermelon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.

Communication facilities Pucca road 40.65 km, semi-pucca road 204 km, mud road 432.02 km; waterway 60 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Horse carriage, bullock cart,.

Noted manufactories Flour mill, rice mill, saw mill, ice factory, salt factory, printing press, welding factory.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, fish preservation centre, bamboo work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 39, fairs 1, Rajakhali Alek Shah Bazar, Pekua Hat, Badarkhali Hat, Khuta-khali Hat, Magh Bazar and Chakariar Ghor-daur Mela are notable.

Main exports Shrimp, salt, tobacco, peanut, mustard, flour, watermelon, wood.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 37.3% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 90.8%, tap 1.4% and others 7.8%.

Sanitation 56.2% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 37.7% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 6.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Heath centres Upazila health centre 1, satellite clinic 6, family planning centre 7, hospital 2.

Natural disasters The devastating cyclone and the tidal bore of 29 April 1971 caused serious damages to the upazila with a death of 16705 persons.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, CARE, caritas, proshika, asa, The Hunger Project. [Zakerullah Chakori]

References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Chakaria Upazila 2007.