Barkal Upazila

Barkal Upazila (rangamati district) area 760.88 sq km, located in between 23°39' and 23°14' north latitudes and in between 92°11' and 92°29' east longitudes. It is bounded by baghaichhari and langadu upazilas on the north, juraichhari upazila on the south, Mizoram (India) on the east and Langadu and rangamati sadar upazilas on the west.

Population Total 39781; male 21892, female 17889; Muslim 8554, Hindu 591, Buddhist 300, Christian 30320 and others 16.

Water bodies Main river: karnafuli; kaptai lake is notable.'

Administration Barkal Thana was formed in 1923 and it was turned into an upazila in 1985.

Upazila
Municipality	Union	Mouza	Village	Population		Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
				Urban	Rural		Urban	Rural
-	5	28	164	1666	38115	52	64.27	34.76

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
12.95	1	1666	129	64.3

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Aiba Chhara 15	34420	3495	3023	33.51
Bara Harina 31	39680	2473	2061	26.94
Barkal 47	33920	3107	2436	42.52
Bhushan Chhara 63	49280	7420	5835	32.50
Shublong 79	30720	5397	4534	42.75

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Historical events The atrocities of the Kukis increased in this region during the early part of the British rule in India. The British Government established separate district administration to control the Kukis in 1860. The government launched an extensive operation in 1872 from Tripura, Kachhar and chittagong hill tracts and destroyed the Kukis' hideouts in Lusai or Mizoram region. In 1891 and 1893 the final campaign for elimination of the Kukis were executed.

Religious institutions Mosque 7, temple 7, buddhist temple 29, church 3.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 36.1%; male 47.1%, female 22.5%. Noted educational institutions: Barkal High School, Bilchhara High School, Bhaimithai Primary School, Laijugram Primary School, Dhanubag Primary School.

Tourist spots Shublong waterfall.

Main sources of income Agriculture 83.46%, non-agricultural labourer 2.19%, commerce 5.87%, service 2.54%, construction 0.08%, religious service 0.07%, rent and remittance 0.03% and others 5.76%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 66.31%, landless 33.69%; agricultural landowner: urban 48.85% and rural 66.86%.

Main crops Paddy, cotton, sesame, ginger, turmeric, vegetables.

Main fruits Jackfruit, banana, pineapple, watermelon.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.'

Communication facilities Semi-pucca road 5 km, mud road 436 km.

Manufactories Steel mill.

Cottage industries Blacksmith, weaving, bamboo work, cane work, wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Shublong Bazar, Choto Harina Bazar and Barkal Bazar.

Main exports Banana, wood, bamboo, cotton, sesame.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 4.15% dwellings have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 16.43%, tap 17.59%, pond 10.93% and others 71.33%.

Sanitation 5.37% (urban 29.49% and rural 4.61%) of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 85.37% (urban 64.06% and rural 86.04%) of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 9.26% of households do not have latrine facilities.'

Health centres Hospital 1, Upazila health complex 1.

NGO activities Junopahar. [Atikur Rahman]

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