Chunarughat Upazila

Chunarughat Upazila (habiganj district) area 495.50 sq km, located in between 24°04' and 24°17' north latitudes and in between 91°22' and 91°39' east longitudes. It is bounded by habiganj sadar and bahubal upazilas on the north, tripura state of India on the south, sreemangal upazila and Tripura state of India on the east, madhabpur upazila on the west. The upazila town is well known as an old business centre.

Population Total 302110; male 147108, female 155002; Muslim 236561, Hindu 63370, Buddhist 6, Christian 642 and others 1531. Indigenous communities such as khasia, manipuri belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Khowai and Sutang rivers are notable.

Administration Chunarughat Thana was established in 1914 and it was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	10	159	373	19651	282459	610	55.9	39.7

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
7.99	9	21	19651	2459	55.9

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Ahmadabad 09	11103	14501	15552	40.0
Ubahata 95	5303	12364	12893	43.2
Gazipur 38	12247	16913	18254	39.1
Chunarughat 19	3953	10911	11483	38.7
Deorgachh 28	10799	14285	14856	38.6
Paik Para 57	12954	14132	14528	35.8
Mirahi 47	6573	13914	14944	38.5
Ranigaon 66	16011	15405	16509	42.9
Shatiajuri 85	8517	10227	10877	41.2
Sankhola 76	16257	14702	15209	39.7

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011,Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Remnants of the architecture and stone inscription of the Murarbandar Dargah Sharif.

Historical events Rajapur of this upazila was the capital of Tipra King Achaknarayan who was defeated in a battle with the army of Syed Nasiruddin, Commander of the Bengal Sultan Feroj Shah in 1304 AD.

War of Liberation Freedom fighters had a number of encounters with the Pak army in Chunarughat and notable among them were those at Rema Tea garden, Nolua Tea garden, Kalenga forest area, Harnmara and Nalmukh Bazar. There is a mass killing site (Nalua Tea Garden) in the upazila; a memorial monument has been built.

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

Religious institutions Mosque 338, temple 29, tomb 5, most noted of which are the tombs of Syed Shah Gada Hasan (R) and Syed Sharful Hasan (R) of village Narapati.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 40.8%; male 43.3%, female 38.4%. Educational institutions: college 2, secondary school 27, primary school 110, kindergarten 1, madrasa 30. Noted educational institutions: Mirashi High School (1887), Rajar Bazar Government High School (1867), Dakkhina Charan Pilot High School (1928), Gazipur High School (1964), Agrani High School (1969), Ubahata Kudratia Dakhil Madrasa (1870), Sankhola Dakhil Madrasa (1928), Gabtala Dakhil Madrasa (1933).

Newspapers and periodicals Weekly Tarafbarta.

Cultural organisations Library 1, club 15, community centre 2, cinema hall 1, auditorium 1, literary association 2, playground 10.

Tourist spots Chandpur and Chandichhara Tea Garden.

Main sources of income Agriculture 54.71%, non-agricultural labourer 16.03%, commerce 8.04%, transport and communication 2.51%, service 3.61%, construction 0.85%, religious service 0.31%, rent and remittance 1.07% and others 12.87%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 48.04%, landless 51.96%; agricultural landowner: urban 55.78% and rural 47.81%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, sugarcane, bean, potato, sesame, mustard, tea.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed.

Main fruits Mango, black berry, banana, jackfruit, litchi, pineapple.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 25, dairy 40, poultry 52.

Communication facilities Pucca road 156.96 km, semi-pucca road 30.48 km, mud road 491.48 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, soari.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, weaving, potteries, wood work, bamboo work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 23, most noted of which are Chunarughat Bazar, Chandpur Garden Bazar, Amu Road Bazar, Nalmukh Bazar and Haziganj Bazar.

Main exports Tea, paddy.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 39.8% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Mineral resources Glass sand in the hilly area.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 85.4%, tap 3.0% and others 11.6%.

Sanitation 44.0% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 40.2% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 15.8% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, union health and family welfare centre 1, family planning centre 10, maternity and child welfare centre 2, charitable hospital 1, satellite clinic 9, diagnostic centre 1, veterinary hospital 1.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are CARE, brac, asa. [Jayanta Singh Roy]

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