Noakhali District
Noakhali District (chittagong division) area 3685.87 sq km, located in between 22°07' and 23°08' north latitudes and in between 90°53' and 91°27' east longitudes. It is bounded by comilla and chandpur districts on the north, the meghna estuary and the bay of bengal on the south, feni and chittagong districts on the east, lakshmipur and bhola districts on the west.
Population Total 3108083; male 1485169, female 1622914; Muslim 2965950, Hindu 140541, Buddhist 558, Christian 934 and others 100.
Water bodies Main river: meghna; Sandwip and Hatiya channel are notable.
Administration Noakhali district, whose earlier name was Bhulua, was established in 1821. It was named Noakhali in 1868.
| District | |||||||||
| Area (sq km) | Upazila | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Urban | Rural | ||||||||
| 3685.87 | 9 | 8 | 91 | 882 | 967 | 496700 | 2611383 | 843 | 51.3 |
| Others Information of District | ||||||||
| Name of upazila | Area (sq km) | Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) |
| Kabirhat | 185.25 | 1 | 7 | 68 | 68 | 196944 | 1063 | 49.0 |
| Companiganj | 380.95 | 1 | 8 | 36 | 45 | 50579 | 1704 | 51.3 |
| Chatkhil | 133.89 | 1 | 9 | 108 | 129 | 233253 | 1742 | 65.6 |
| Noakhali Sadar | 336.06 | 1 | 13 | 166 | 173 | 525934 | 1565 | 51.7 |
| Begumganj | 238.37 | 1 | 16 | 178 | 184 | 549308 | 2304 | 59.3 |
| Senbagh | 159.36 | 1 | 9 | 97 | 105 | 282894 | 1775 | 56.7 |
| Subarnachar | 575.47 | - | 8 | 52 | 53 | 289514 | 503 | 32.7 |
| Sonaimuri | 169.14 | 1 | 10 | 133 | 148 | 327194 | 1934 | 61.0 |
| Hatiya | 1507.35 | 1 | 11 | 44 | 62 | 452463 | 300 | 34.2 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
War of Liberation The Pak army entered Noakhali Zila Sadar on 22 April 1971 for the first time. On 11 May they launched an attack on Hatiya Town. The Pak army killed 6 persons at Afazia Bazar and 2 persons at Uskhali Bazar of Hatiya upazila. 70 freedom fighters were killed in a battle with the Pak army on 15 June at Sonapur Ahmadia Model High School premises of Sonaimuri upazila. On 18 June the Pak army killed 70 innocent people at village Sreepur of Sonapur area. On 2 July the freedom fighters attacked the razakar camp at Chandraganj High School of Begumganj upazila. On 19 August the Pak army killed about 50 persons at Nayahat Bazar of Gopalpur Union under this upazila. On 4 September 1971, an encounter was held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army on the Banchharam Road at a place near the sluice gate of the upazila in which 6 freedom fighters were killed. Besides, during the WAR OF LIBERATION a number of encounters were held between the freedom fighters and the Pak army in Companiganj upazila in which seven freedom fighters including Sadar BLF Commander Ohidur Rahman Wadud were killed. On 17 October the freedom fighters of Kabirhat upazila attacked the residence of Razakar Jalil and killed him along with a number of his companions. The freedom fighters attacked the Pak army camp at Domarkandi Primary School of Senbagh upazila in which a number of freedom fighters were killed. A mass grave has been discovered at a place adjacent to the sluice gate no. 14 of Companiganj and there is a mass killing site on the eastern side of Kabirhat High School; 3 memorial monuments have been built at Chaumuhani of Begumganj, Sonapur of Sonaimuri and PTI compound of Noakhali Zila Sadar. Also, three roads (Shaheed Nur Mohammad Road, Shaheed Major Mesbahuddin Road and Shaheed Jasimuddin Road) have been named after the martyred freedom fighters.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.3%; male 51.4%, female 51.2%. Educational institutions: college 34, vocational institute 2, agriculture research institute 1, police training institute 1, medical institute 1, secondary school 277, primary school 1166, madrasa 161. Noted educational institutions: Noakhali Government College (1963), Begumganj Government Pilot High School (1857), Brother Andre High School (1857), Ahmadia Model High School (1906), Basur Hat AHC Government High School (1911), Hatiya Model Pilot High School (1912), Arun Chandra High School (1914), Bamni High School at Companiganj (1914), Bajra High School (1919), Noakhali Government Girl's High School (1934), Kabirhat High School (1938), Paura Kalyan High School (1940), Noakhali Zila School (1853), Bamni Asiria Senior Madrasa (1915), Basur Hat Islamia Senior Madrasa (1923).
Main sources of income Agriculture 40.62%, non-agricultural labourer 3.43%, industry 0.84%, commerce 14.74%, transport and communication 3.83%, service 16.11%, construction 1.49%, religious service 0.39%, rent and remittance 7.97% and others 10.58%.
Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Jatiyo Nishan (1980), Noakhali Barta (1991), Chatkhil Barta, Jatiyo Bangladesh, Jatiyo Nur; weekly: Jatiyo Bangladesh (1969-70), Abayab (1980), Ajker Upama (1991), Alif, Dishari, Naya Barta, Purbashikha, Noakhali Zilar Khobar; defunct: Purba Bangabasi (1884), monthly Asha (1901), Noakhali Hitoishi (1922), Chholtan (1924), Tanjin (1926), Desher Bani (1927), Tripura Noakhali Lakshmi (1342), Noakhali Sammilani, Jatiyo Bangladesh, Upakul Barta.
Folk culture Folk tale, riddle, proverbs, Khanar Bachan, Palagan, Kabigan, Jatra, etc. [Jahanara Akhter Lipi]
See also The upazilas under this district.
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Noakhali District 2007; Cultural survey report of upazilas of Noakhali District 2007.
