Patuakhali Sadar Upazila

Patuakhali Sadar Upazila (patuakhali district) area 362.62 sq km, located in between 22°14' and 22°29' north latitudes and in between 90°12' and 90°28' east longitudes. It is bounded by dumki upazila on the north, galachipa, amtali and barguna sadar upazilas on the south, bauphal and galachipa upazilas on the east, mirzaganj upazila on the west.

Population Total 322713; male 163535, female 159178; Muslim 297842, Hindu 24585, Buddhist 185, Christian 55 and others 46.

Water bodies Main rivers: burishwar, Galachipa, Rajganj, Patuakhali.

Administration Patuakhali Thana was formed in 1871 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	12	101	124	67241	255472	890	70.7	48.4

Municipality
Area (sq km)	Ward	Mahalla	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
27.03	9	29	62665	2318	72.48

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
6.63	1	4576	690	45.40

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Auliapur 10	7358	11898	12088	41.67
Itabaria 20	6523	12050	11523	49.13
Kamalapur 40	11878	14741	14498	37.48
Kalikapur 33	3573	7204	7169	53.53
Chhota Bighai 13	6857	9798	9414	43.51
Jainkati 27	6129	8651	8955	45.81
Bara Bighai 31	7049	9518	9881	49.55
Badarpur 11	5441	11950	11835	58.16
Marichbunia 74	6892	9021	9401	47.59
Madarbunia 67	7652	12105	12057	50.32
Laukati 61	8066	14260	14542	55.93
Lohalia 54	7134	8840	8647	47.84

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Sreerampur Mian Bari Mosque (17th century), Sadar Bara Mosque (18th' century), Sikdar Bari three domed Jami Mosque at Jhopkhali (18th century), Lohalia Mian Bari Mosque (19th century), Bighai Mian Bari Mosque (19th century), Rajeswar Roy Chowdhury Bhaban (19th century).

History of the War of Liberation During the War of Liberation, the Pak army attacked Patuakhali town on 26 April 1971' and conducted mass killing, torturing and plundering in the upazila; they also set many houses of the upazila on fire. Patuakhali was liberated on 6 December.

Marks of the War of Liberation Mass grave 3 (inside the old jail compound, at south-western side of the new jail and at Tulatali); memorial monument 1 (in front of the old Town Hall).

Religious institutions Mosque 578, temple 113, church 1, sacred place 5, buddhist vihara 28. Noted religious institutions: Patuakhali Sadar Bara Mosque, Sikdar Bari Three Domed Jami Mosque at Jhopkhali, Lohalia Jora Mosque, Buddhist Vihara at Patuakhali Town.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 53.3%; male 58%, female 48.6%. Educational institutions: college 15, teachers training college 2, polytechnic institute 1, vocational institute 1, secondary school 56, primary school 193, kindergarten 3, madrasa 140. Noted educational institutions: Patuakhali Government University College (1957), Latif Municipal Seminary (1916), Patuakhali Government Mahila College (1968), Government Jubilee High School (1887), Patuakhali Town High School (1966), Sreerampur Secondary School (1900), Patuakhali Government Girls' High School (1946), Patuakhali Mohila Samiti School (1952), Wazedabad Mustafavia Fazil Madrasa (1913).

Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Rupantar, Tentulia, Ganadabi, Sathi; weekly: Payra, Patuakhali, Avijatri, Patuakhali Proshika; fortnightly: Metho Bart; defunct weekly: Palliseba (1934), Gram Bangla, Khilafat, Pratinidhi, Janata,' Trisha; defunct fortnightly: Andharmanik; Swadesh Darpan, Saikat, Priya Kagaz; defunct monthly: Chabuk; periodical: Patuakhali Samachar, Ek Mutho Suravi, Annesha.

Cultural organisations Library 4, club 104, women's society 1, theatre group 2, cinema hall 4.

Main sources of income Agriculture 45.44%, non-agricultural labourer 6.15%, industry 1.02%, commerce 16%, transport and communication 3.15%, service 13.55%, construction 2.76%, religious service 0.35%, rent and remittance 0.90% and others 10.68%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 70.99%, landless 29.01%.

Main crops Paddy, varieties of pulse, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Tobacco, jute, kaun, china.

Main fruits Coconut, palm.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 9, dairy 6, poultry 28.

Communication facilities Pucca road 210 km, mud road 935 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin.

Noted manufactories Jute mill, ice factory, oil mill, printing press, textile mill.

Cottage industries Bamboo work, cane work, tailoring.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 50, fairs 4, most noted of which are Patuakhali Puran Bazar and Dewan Sharif Mela at Dharandi.

Main exports Dry fish.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 25.30% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources Patas, phosphorus and mineral salt.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 91.85%, tap 0.97%, pond 5.70% and others 1.48%.

Sanitation 26.87% (rural 15.19% and urban 73.25%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 68.11% (rural 79.28% and urban 23.76%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 5.02% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Sadar hospital 1, upazila health complex 1, eye hospital 1, health and family welfare centre 14, chest disease clinic 1, mother and child welfare centre 1, family' health centre 1, family planning centre 1, clinic 6, community clinic 32.

Natural disasters Many people of the upazila were victims of the devastating cyclones of 1822, 1960 and 1961 and the flood of 1876. Besides, these natural disasters also caused heavy damages to settlements, livestock and other properties of the upazila.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are proshika, brac, CARE, asa. [Iffat Jerin]

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