Sandwip Upazila

Sandwip Upazila (chittagong district) area 762.42 sq km, located in between 22°16' and 22°43' north latitudes and in between 91°17' and 91°37' east longitudes. It is bounded by companiganj (noakhali) upazila on the north, bay of bengal on the south, sitakunda and mirsharai upazilas and Sandwip Channel on the east, noakhali sadar upazila and Hatiya Island on the west.

Population Total 278605; male 128656, female 149949; Muslim 253019, Hindu 25439, Buddhist 7 and others 140.

Administration Sandwip Thana was turned into an upazila in 1984.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	15	34	34	52982	225623	365	48.5 (2001)	51.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
30.03 (2001)	9	10	41365	1427 (2001)	51.3

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
23.11 (2001)	2	11617	618 (2001)	47.6

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Azimpur 13	5004	1082	1247	52.1
Amanullah 11	508	2244	2587	46.7
Urirchar 96	26001	5599	5320	44.3
Kalapania 55	2560	7942	8621	57.7
Gachhua 30	3473	7883	9430	57.0
Digghapar 25	-	847	872	62.6
Bauria 20	6126	9492	11356	50.8
Magdhara 65	38592	17563	20425	44.1
Maitbhanga 70	3008	9241	11689	57.9
Musapur 75	5310	16953	21219	56.4
Rahmatpur 85	2654	3743	4345	46.9
Santoshpur 90	4205	5856	6569	51.8
Sarikait 92	8405	11354	13189	46.9
Harispur 40	3553	1804	2069	48.3
Haramia 35	3895	7858	8841	52.0

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

Historical events The first peasant movement in Bengal was initiated in 1767 under Abu Torab in this upazila. Besides, violation of law movement was held in 1930 under Keshab Ghosh, the President of the Congress Party. In 1966 bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman started the campaign for the historic six-point programme from Sandwip.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 this upazila was under Sector 1. On 10 May the Pak army shot dead a number of people including lawyer Jahedur Rahman at Sandwip Town. Freedom fighters of the upazila carried out operations against Pakistani soldiers and also had battles with them in which the enemies were defeated and had to flee from the area. The upazila was liberated on 7 December 1971.

For details: see সন্দ্বীপ উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ১০।

Religious institutions Mosque 270, temple 73, tomb 2. Noted religious institutions: Shahabanu Mosque, Sandwip Town Jami Mosque, Sandwip Town Bazar Mosque, Abdul Gani Chowdhury Mosque.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.5%; male 50.7%, female 52.1%. Educational institutions: college 5, secondary school 29, primary school 15, madrasa 225. Noted educational institutions: Government Haji AB College (1967), Mostafizur Rahman Degree College, South Sandwip College, Kargil Government High School (1902), Sandwip Public High School, Sandwip Ideal High School, Azimpur High School, Kargil Government Primary School (1850), Bashiria Ahmadia Alhaj Abu Bakar Sidiqque Fazil Madrasa (1902), Kathgar Islamia Fazil Madrasa (1929).

Newspapers and periodicals Dwip Chitra, Dwip Barta, Sandwip Sandarshan.

Cultural organisations Library 3, cinema hall 1, community centre 13, club 20, playground 15, women society 6.

Special attractions Vast sea beach.

Main sources of income Agriculture 34.16%, non-agricultural labourer 4.88%, industry 0.32%, commerce 13.16%, transport and communication 2.97%, service 15.64%, construction 1.17%, religious service 0.39%, rent and remittance 15.51% and others 11.80%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 39.43%, landless 60.57%; agricultural landowner: urban 33.72% and rural 40.46%.

Main crops Paddy, potato, betel leaf, sugarcane, coconut, nut, palm, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, arahar.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, banana, papaya, guava, plum, betel nut, date, olive.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 22, dairy 8, poultry 8.

Communication facilities Pucca road 26.15 km, semi-pucca road 5.10 km, mud road 16.20 km; waterway 185.74 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage.

Noted manufactories Rice mill, ice factory, bidi factory, printing press, hosiery factory, ship building industry.

Cottage industries Weaving, blacksmith, potteries, wood work, brass and bell-metal work, bamboo and cane work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 34, fairs 2, most noted of which are Akbar Hat, Shiva Hat, Bakta Hat, Nazir Hat, Dhopar Hat, Chowdhury Hat, Saudagar Hat, Nandir Hat, Munshir Hat, Sandwip Town Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Ananda Bazar and Salam Bazar.

Main exports Paddy, fish, betel leaf, betel nut, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 32.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 94.1%, tap 0.1% and others 5.8%.

Sanitation 78.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 19.1% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.6% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 2, union health centre 7, clinic 4.'

Natural disasters Many people were victims of the devastating cyclones and tidal bore of 1877, 1963, 1970, 1985 and of 29 April 1991. Besides, these natural disasters also caused heavy damages to settlements, livestock, crops and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are asa, proshika, CARE, caritas. [Towhid Hossain Chowdhury]

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