Barisal District
Barisal District (barisal division) area 2784.52 sq km, located in between 22°27' and 22°52' north latitudes and in between 90°01' and 90°43' east longitudes. It is bounded by madaripur, shariatpur and chandpur districts on the north, patuakhali, barguna and jhalokati districts on the south, bhola and lakshmipur districts on the east, Jhalokati, pirojpur and gopalganj districts on the west.
Population Total 2324310; male 1137210, female 1187100; Muslim 2040088, Hindu 271706, Buddhist 225, Christian 12227 and others 64.
Water bodies Main rivers: meghna, arial khan, kirtankhola, tentulia, Naya Bhanga, Jayanti, Swarupkati, Hatra, Amtali.'
Administration Bakerganj district was established in 1797; later on it was renamed as Barisal district. Barisal was declared as a division on 1 January 1993. Barisal Paurasabha was formed in 1957 and it was turned into a city corporation in 2000. Of the 10 upazilas of the district hizla is the largest (515.36 sq km) and banaripara is the smallest (134.86 sq km) in size.
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 2784.52 | 10 | 5 | 85 | 1042 | 1,115 | 519016 | 1805294 | 835 | 61.2 |
| City Corporation | |||||||
| City Corporation | Metropolitan Thana | Ward | Mahalla | ||||
| 1 | 4 | 30 | 56 | ||||
| Metropolitan Thana | ||||||||
| Name of Metropolitan Thana | Area (sq km) | Ward | Union | Mahalla and Mouza | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Airport | 99.46 | 4 | 5 | 87 | 166870 | 1310 | 73.27 | |
| Kaonia | 111.16 | 6 | 3 | 59 | 127300 | 1145 | 64.13 | |
| Kotwali | 40.33 | 20 | 1 | 45 | 165050 | 4093 | 74.82 | |
| Bandar | 110.05 | - | 5 | 40 | 88385 | 317 | 55.84 | |
| Others Information of District | |||||||||
| Name of upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Agailjhara | 155.47 | - | 5 | 78 | 95 | 1,49,456 | 961 | 62.9 | |
| Wazirpur | 248.36 | - | 9 | 118 | 125 | 2,34,959 | 946 | 62.5 | |
| Gaurnadi | 150.54 | 1 | 7 | 108 | 109 | 1,88,586 | 1253 | 60.9 | |
| Barisal Sadar | 324.40 | - | 10 | 103 | 110 | 5,27,017 | 1625 | 69.3 | |
| Bakerganj | 411.36 | 1 | 14 | 149 | 172 | 3,13,845 | 763 | 63.3 | |
| Banaripara | 134.30 | 1 | 8 | 76 | 76 | 1,48,188 | 1103 | 67.2 | |
| Babuganj | 164.87 | - | 6 | 81 | 90 | 1,40,361 | 851 | 68.8 | |
| Muladi | 260.85 | 1 | 7 | 77 | 102 | 1,74,775 | 670 | 56.0 | |
| Mehendiganj | 418.96 | 1 | 13 | 119 | 142 | 3,01,046 | 719 | 48.6 | |
| Hizla | 515.36 | - | 6 | 92 | 94 | 1,46,077 | 283 | 40.8 | |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
War of Liberation During the war of liberation 8 persons including Laskhan Das (proprietor of Laskhan Das Circus) of village Kodaldhoa were killed by the Pak army. The Pak army also killed 181 freedom fighters at a place near Kalaskathi market of Bakerganj upazila. The Pak army killed 10 persons and set Karikarnagar village of Chandpasha union of Babuganj upazila on fire. Besides, they also killed 212 persons of Banaripara upazila.There are 2 mass graves and 3 mass killing sites in the upazila; 2 memorial sculptures and 4 memorial monuments were established.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 61.2%; Male 61.9%, female 60.6%. Educational institutions: university college 1, medical college 1, law college 1, teacher's training college 2, physical education college 1, cadet college 1, polytechnic college 1, college 70, secondary school 390, primary school 1710, madrasa 710. Noted educational institutions: Barisal Law college, sher-e-bangla medical college and Hospital, Govt. b m college (1889), Syed Hatem Ali College, Barisal Govt. women's College, Chakhar College, Bakerganj College, Kalaskati College, Muladi College, Hizla College, Banaripara College, Gaurnadi College, Agailjhara College, Babuganj College, Badalpara Secondary School and College, Kashipur High School and College, Bagdha Secondary School and College, barisal zila school, 'Brozo Mohan School, Barisal Zila Girls' School, Barisal Missionary School, Paterhat Muslim High School, Paterhat Jubili High School, Shahid Altaf Mahmud High School, Hizla PL Secondary School, Baisari High School, Banaripara High School, Gaurnadi High School, Agailjhara High School, Gaila High School, Babuganj High School, Barisal Govt. Girls' High School, Baptist Mission Boys High School, Gava High School, Bakerganj JSU High School, Oxford Mission High School, Khalishkota Secondary School, Rahmatpur Secondary School, Halima Khatun Girls' Secondary School, DGL Secondary School, Char Amaddi WK Secondary School, Kamarkhali KSU Secondary School, Pinglakathi Govt. Model Primary School, Bheduriarchar Govt. Primary School, Darus Sunnat Jamia-E-Islamia Madrasa, Dudhal Islamia Fazil Madrasa, Kakdhara AKM Institution, Banaripara Model Union Institution, Kalaskati BM Academy.
Main sources of income Agriculture 48.25%, non-agricultural labourer 4.00%, industry 1.27%, commerce 17.52%, transport and communication 2.83%, construction 2.45%, religious service' 0.29%, service 13.08%, rent and remittance 2.31% and others 8.00%.
Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Shahnama, Probashi, Gram Samachar, Ajker Barta, Rupantar Sathi, Saikot Barta, Darpan, Dipanchal, Ajker Kantha; weekly: Lokabani, Bakerganj Parikrama, Chirantan Bangla, Upakul, fortnightly: Paira, the River, Etibriti, Khadem, Gournadi Parikrama.
Folkculture Bhatiali, Rakhali, Marfati, Jarigan, Sarigan, Murshidi, dazzle, proverb, fiction or feigned story, palagan, Kavigan, etc are conventional. Jatrapala and theatre practice are also displayed in this district.
Tourist spots Durgasagar, Collector Bhaban (building), Chakhar Archaeological Museum. [KAM Saiful Islam]
See also The upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Barisal District 2007; Cultural survey report of the Upazilas under Barisal district 2007.
