Rangamati Sadar Upazila

Rangamati Sadar Upazila (rangamati district) area 546.48 sq km, located in between 22°30' and 22°49' north latitudes and in between 92°04' and 92°22' east longitudes. It is bounded by naniarchar and langadu upazilas on the north, kaptai and belaichhari upazilas on the south, barkal and juraichhari upazilas on the east, kawkhali upazila on the west.

Population Total 124728; male 66212, female 58516; Muslim 48583, Hindu 13523, Buddhist 61932, Christian 484 and others 206. Indigenous communities such as chakma, marma, tanchangya, tripura, Khumi, Chak, lushei, pankho belong to this upazila.

Water bodies Main river: karnafuli; kaptai lake took the one-third area of the upazila.

Administration Rangamati Sadar Thana was turned into an upazila in 1983.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
1	6	21	178	84000	40728	228	73.1	46.5

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
64.75	9	55	84000	1297	73.1

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Kutuk Chhari 54	11520	3188	3131	43.5
Jibtali 40	13440	2642	1824	63.7
Banduk Bhanga 13	20480	4217	4105	55.2
Balukhali 27	35450	4258	3983	37.8
Magban 67	20480	3759	3442	42.0
Sapchhari 81	9600	3223	2956	42.0

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

War of Liberation Ranagamati Sadar upazila was under Sector 1 during the war of liberation. On 27 March 1971 a temporary training camp of the freedom fighters was established in the playground of the Station Club. On 29 March a group of 60 freedom fighters crossed over to India to receive arms training. On 2 April the then Deputy Commissioner Hossain Towfiq Imam distributed a huge amount of money and arms and ammunitions (belonging to Police, EPR and Ansar) from the treasury to the freedom fighters. On 10 April the first group of freedom fighters returned back to Rangamati and later they gave arms training to freedom fighters of different areas. On 20 May 1992 an encounter was held between the indigenous people and the Bangalis. A memorial sculpture has been built at Station Club Field.

For details: see রাঙ্গামাটি সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৯।

Religious institutions Mosque 31, temple 14, church 2, pagoda 40, sacred place 1, tomb 1, ashrama 3.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 64.5%; male 69.7%, female 58.6%. Educational institutions: college 2, polytechnic institute 1, technical training institute 1, pali college 3, secondary school 48, primary school 104, community school 6, kindergarten 6. Noted educational institutions: Rangamati Government College, Rangamati Government Mohila College, Rangamati Government High School (1862), Narangiri Government High School, Rani Dayamayi High School, Sapchhari High School, Manghar Residential High School, Lakers Public School, Rangamati Senior Madrasa.

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Giri Darpan, Rangamati, Parbatta Barta; weekly: Banabhumi, Parbatta Barta; monthly: School Barta.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 31, cinema hall 1, shilpakala academy 1, shishu academy 1, women's organisation 16, literary society 1, cultural group 3, playground 7. Noted cultural organisations are Tribal Cultural Institute (1976), Jhum Aesthetic Council.

Tourist spots Rangamati Lake, Chakma Rajbari, Buddhist Vihara at Rajban, Hanging Bridge, Shuvolong Water Fall, Furaman Hill, Tribal Cultural Institute and Museum, Memorial Sculpture of the War of Liberation.

Main sources of income Agriculture 28.27%, non-agricultural labourer 7.51%, commerce 19.25%, service 25.12%, construction 2%, rent and remittance 1.33% and others 16.52%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 48.01%, landless 51.99%; agricultural landowner: urban 39.39% and' rural 65.48%.'

Main crops Paddy, sugarcane, maize, pulse, cotton, tobacco, potato.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Mustard, kaun.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, pineapple, papaya, lemon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 33, dairy 19, poultry 65.

Communication facilities Pucca road 91.25 km, semi-pucca road 60 km, mud road 210 km; waterway 100 km.

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

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 17, fairs 2, most noted of which are Manikchhari Hat, Rangapani Hat, Jibtali Hat, Awlad Hat, Banduk Bhanga Bazar, Bara Mainimukh Bazar and Rangamati Natun Bazar.

Main exports Jackfruit, lemon, pineapple.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 75.6% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 57.1%, tap 17.6% and others 25.3%.

Sanitation 70.3% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 28.6% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 1.1% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Hospital 2, clinic 3, family planning centre 3.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, Adibasi Unnayan Centre. [BH Soraowardi]

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