Patiya Upazila

Patiya Upazila (chittagong district) area 211.85 sq km, located in between 22°13' and 22°21' north latitudes and in between 91°47' and 92°07' east longitudes. It is bounded by boalkhali upazila on the north, chandanaish and anowara upazilas on the south, rangunia and Chandanaish upazilas on the east, chandgaon, bakalia, kotwali, double mooring and bandar thanas on the west.

Population Total 528120; male 266153, female 261967; Muslim 443773, Hindu 75727, Buddhist 7902, Christian 645 and others 73.

Water bodies Main river: karnafuli; Morari and Chandkhali canals are notable.

Administration Patiya Thana was formed in 1950 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 22 120 124 55323 472797 2493 64.3 53.8
Municipality
Area (sq km) Ward Mahalla Population Density (per sq km) Literacy rate (%)
9.95 9 13 55323 5560 64.3
Union
Name of union and GO code Area (acre) Population Literacy rate (%)
Male Female
Asia 12 1780 6431 6997 50.8
Kachuai 58 14787 12216 12128 52.9
Kasiais 64 2526 5297 5404 59.1
Kusumpura 76 2205 15259 15649 57.3
Kelishahar 67 10803 7654 8441 51.7
Kolagaon 73 2921 13215 12542 51.3
Kharana 70 2199 7510 7812 46.9
Chanhara 21 2539 6564 7124 54.3
Char Patharghata 27 1599 19441 17185 56.1
Char Lakshya 24 2584 14652 13546 46.9
Janglukhain 52 1904 5727 5990 62.0
Jiri 94 3410 19030 19308 51.1
Juldha 55 2809 9491 8925 47.8
Dakhin Bhushi 91 1307 4851 4887 64.3
Dhalghat 30 3154 8570 8860 57.0
Baralia 15 2497 7518 8005 57.7
Bara Uthan 18 4393 18500 17896 51.7
Bhatikhain 19 1276 3819 3805 58.4
Sikalbaha 85 2294 21633 20841 54.3
Sobhandandi 88 1720 7730 8396 55.5
Haidgaon 42 16903 11383 11904 50.6
Habilas Dwip 39 2168 10471 10190 61.8

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Musa Khan Mosque (1658), Kura Katni Mosque at Harin Khain (1806), Kala Mosque at Kachuai (seventeenth century), Akbar Jami Mosque, Syed Kutub Tomb at Baralia, Bura Gosai's Mandir, Jagannath Temple at Suchakradandi, Annapurna Temple, Jonardan Mandir, Shiva Mandir, Buddhist Monastery at Haidgaon, Buddha Padochinha Temple at Unainpura.

Historical events In the 1930s of the 20th century revolutionary Swadesh Roy was shot dead by the British army and wounded Debu Prashad, Rajat Sen and Manaranjan committed suicide to avoid arrest in the hands of the British. On 16 February 1933 many revolutionaries including mastarda surya sen and kalpana datta hided out in the residence of Khirada Prova Biswas. During this time Surja Sen and Brajendra Sen were arrested by the British army.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971 20 to 25 Pak soldiers were killed in an encounter with the freedom fighters at Dhalghat. The freedom fighters under Captain Karim raided the Dhalghat Police outpost and forced the members of police to surrender. The freedom fighters launched attacks on the razakars camps at Patiya Madrasa and at the camp near Khanmohona Station in which two razakars were killed. They also killed another razakar at Goplalpara of Kelishahar. A number of civilians were killed and wounded as a result of bombings from two Pak aircrafts. On 3 May the Pakistani soldiers conducted indiscriminate killing at village Muzzafarabad. They also set many houses of this village on fire. Patiya was liberated on 14 December. There is a mass grave in the upazila.

For details: see পটিয়া উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৫।

Religious institutions Mosque 476, temple 37, church 2, tomb 1, pagoda 1, buddhist vihara 21. Noted religious institutions: Musa Khan Mosque, Killapara Innar Mosque, Al Jamia Islamia Mosque, Tagore Puni Mandir, Rai Bhaban Mandir.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 54.9%; male 57.3%, female 52.5%. Educational institutions: college 3, teachers training institute 1, secondary school 49, madrasa 11. Noted educational institutions: Patiya Government Degree College (1962), Patiya Government College (1967), Hulain Saleh Noor College (1969), AJ Chowdhury College (1970), Dhalghat School and College (1918), Patiya Ideal High School (1845), Chakrashala Agricultural High School(1857), Abdur Rahman Government Girls' High School (1957), Abdus Sobhan Rahat Ali High School (1914), Muzaffarabad NJ High School (1929), Shashanko Mala Government Primary School (1935), Shah Chand Auliya Kamil Madrasa (1928), Al Jamiatul Islamia Kasemul Ulum (1937), Sikalbaha Ohidia Senior Madrasa (1890).

Newspapers and periodicals Defunct monthly: Ovaybani, Shankha, Dakkhin Chattola, Rechhalat.

Cultural organisations Library 2, club 350, theatre group 4, cinema hall 3, women organisation 2.

Tourist spots Kharana Tea Garden, East Haidgaon Forest.

Main sources of income Agriculture 25.25%, non-agricultural labourer 5.42%, industry 1.04%, commerce 18.98%, transport and communication 4.58%, service 1.52%, construction 0.67%, religious service 22.34%, rent and remittance 3.88% and others 16.32%.

Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 44.02%, landless 55.98.

Main crops Paddy, potato, ginger, betel leaf, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Local varieties of Aus paddy, arahar, linseed, kalai.

Main fruits Jackfruit, guava, lemon, pineapple, water melon, papaya.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 15, dairy 75, poultry 862, nursery 125.

Communication facilities Pucca road 86 km, semi-pucca road 52 km, mud road 490 km; railway 16 km; waterway 920 km.

Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage.

Noted manufactories Power station, Burz Mounted Power Station, Dry-Dock and Fishing Boat Dockyard, steel mill, cement factory, textile mill, garments factory, poly-foam, plastic industries, ceiling fan industries, packing and board, food and spices, ice factory, match factory, salt refinery and crushing, rice mill, flour mill, KEPZ, BSCIC industry town, West Patiya Industrial Area.

Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, sewing, embroidery, bamboo and wood work.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 45, fairs 20, most noted of which are Thana Hat, Safar Ali Munsi Hat, Munsef Bazar, Sri Mai Korachengi Mela, Acharia Mela, Surjabrato Mela, Rath Jatra Mela, Thegorpuni Mela and Mahira Khetropal Mela.

Main exports Salt, guava, lemon, jackfruit, potato, vegetables.

Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 85.3% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Natural resources White clay with aluminum, special quality sand of Shreemai Canal, Patiya Reserve Forest.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 93.3%, tap 2.3% and others 4.4%.

Sanitation 72.5% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 24.9% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 2.6% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health centre 1, union family welfare centre 15, union health clinic 7, mother and child welfare centre 1, NGO sponsored health clinic 1, veterinary hospital 1.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, asa, icddr,b, CARE, Uddipon. [SMAK Jahangir ]

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