Noakhali Sadar Upazila
Noakhali Sadar Upazila (noakhali district) area 336.06 sq km, located in between 22'38' and 22'59' north latitudes and in between 90'54' and 91'15' east longitudes. It is bounded by begumganj upazila on the north, subarnachar upazila on the south, companiganj (Noakhali) and kabirhat upazilas on the east, kamalnagar and lakshmipur sadar upazilas on the west.
Population Total 525934; male 252772, female 273162; Muslim 509252, Hindu 15640, Buddhist 185, Christian 841 and others 16.
Water bodies Main river: meghna; Noakhali canal is notable.
Administration The ancient name of Noakhali Sadar was Sudharam. Noakhali thana was formed in 1861 and it was turned into an upazila in 1984. Noakhali municipality was formed in 1876.
| Upazila | ||||||||
| Municipality | Union | Mouza | Village | Population | Density (per sq km) | Literacy rate (%) | ||
| Urban | Rural | Urban | Rural | |||||
| 1 | 13 | 166 | 173 | 130842 | 395092 | 1565 | 71.14 (2001) | 44.1 |
| Municipality | ||||||||
| Area (sq km) |
Ward | Mahalla | Population | Density (per sq km) |
Literacy rate (%) | |||
| 15.88 (2001) | 9 | 36 | 107654 | 4783 (2001) | 75.3 | |||
| Upazila Town | ||||
|
Area |
Mouza |
Population |
Density |
Literacy rate |
| 9.00 (2001) | 9 | 23188 | 2133 (2001) | 61.5 |
| Union | ||||
| Name of union and GO code | Area (acre) | Population | Literacy rate (%) | |
| Male | Female | |||
| Anderchar 21 | 11603 | 18375 | 21735 | 19.4 |
| Ashwadia 23 | 4597 | 15201 | 16322 | 49.9 |
| Ewazbalia 50 | 10127 | 22287 | 23767 | 38.4 |
| Kadir Hanif 60 | 2909 | 15780 | 16307 | 66.4 |
| Kaladaraf 65 | 8992 | 16939 | 22191 | 30.4 |
| Char Matua 40 | 4353 | 13101 | 14850 | 53.6 |
| Dadpur 45 | 3419 | 10871 | 12911 | 47.0 |
| Dharmapur 47 | 11426 | 20384 | 21949 | 33.5 |
| Niazpur 75 | 3989 | 13951 | 15446 | 54.8 |
| Noannai 85 | 3837 | 14442 | 16340 | 55.6 |
| Noakhali 80 | 6220 | 15852 | 16991 | 54.4 |
| Purba Char Matua 90 | 5027 | 11060 | 10986 | 38.2 |
| Binodpur 25 | 2427 | 9581 | 10661 | 58.6 |
Source Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
Archaeological heritage and relics Public Library (1895), Khalil Bhuiyan Jami Mosque in Kadir Hanif union, Noakhali Zila Jami Mosque at Maijdi Court (1841).
War of Liberation The Pak army entered Noakhali Sadar, for the first time, on 22 April 1971. On 18 June they brutally killed 70 innocent people at village Shreepur of Sonapur area. Freedom fighters had encounters with Pak army at Feni Polytechnic Institute, Charmutia food godown, Maijdi and some other places of the upazila. Noakhali Sadar was liberated on 7 December 1971. Three roads of the upazila have been named after the martyred freedom fighters (Shaheed Nur Mohammad Road, Shaheed Major Mesbahuddin Road and Shaheed Jasimuddin Road).
For details: see নোয়াখালী সদর উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ৫।
Religious institutions Noakhali Zila Jami Mosque, Khalil Bhuiyan Jami Mosque, Kabir Patwari Jami Mosque, Shree Shree Ram Thakur Mandir are notable.
Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 51.7%; male 53.6%, female 50.0%. Educational institutions: college 10, primary teachers training institute 2, medical assistant training school 1, police training institute 1, secondary school 38, primary school 195, law college 1, madrasa 31. Noted educational institutions: Noakhali Government College (1963), Brother Andre High School (1857), Ahmadia Model High School (1906), Arun Chandra High School (1914), Noakhali Government Girl's High School (1934), Paura Kalyan High School (1940), Noakhali Zila School (1853).
'Newspapers and periodicals Daily: Noakhali Barta; weekly: Ajker Upama, Abayab, Nayabarta, Jatiyo' Nur, Dishari; defunct: Noakhali Hitoishi, Chholtan, Tanjin, Upakul Barta, Purba Bangali.
Cultural organisations Library 4, club 5, cinema hall 2, town hall 1.
Main sources of income Agriculture 49.15%, non-agricultural labourer 4.59%, industry 0.97%, commerce 13.44%, transport and communication 3.67%, service 14.46%, construction 1.62%, religious service 0.34%, rent and remittance 2.79% and others 9.45%.
Ownership of agricultural land Landowner 56.30%, landless 43.70%; agricultural landowner: urban 41.25% and rural 58.76%.'
Main crops Paddy, sugarcane, pulse, ground-nut, soybean, vegetables.
Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, linseed,' jute.
Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, litchi, banana, coconut, papaya, betel nut.
Fisheries, dairies and poultries This upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries.
Communication facilities Pucca road 200.66 km, semi-pucca 45.23 km, mud road 814.36 km; railway 7 km; rail station 4.
Extinct or nearly extinct traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage, bullock cart, buffalo cart.
Noted manufactories Sweater factory, bakery, soft drinks factory, welding factory, rice mill, flour mill, ice factory, oil mill.
Cottage industries Goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, weaving, embroidery, bamboo work, cane work.
Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 6, fair 1, most noted of which are Maijdi Poura Bazar, Sonapur Datter Hat, Khaser Hat, Badher Hat, Khalifar Hat, Kala Munshir Hat, Lakshmi Narayanpur Mela (Pahela Magh).
Main exports Coconut, betel nut, paddy, dry fish.
Access to electricity All the wards and unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 52.6% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.
Sources of drinking water Tube-well 84.6%, tap 7.2% and others 8.2%. The presence of arsenic has been detected in shallow tube-well water of the upazila
Sanitation 67.4% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 27.1% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 5.5% of households do not have latrine facilities.
Health centres Hospital 6, TB clinic 1, satellite clinic 5, municipal health centre 1, family welfare centre 18, clinic 6, veterinary hospital 1.
Natural disasters A large number of people of the coastal area lost their life due to the cyclone and tidal bore of 12 November 1970.
NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, the Hunger Project, CARE, Danida, Prisam, Nijera Kari. [Muhammad Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan]
References Bangladesh Population Census 2001 and 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics; Cultural survey report of Noakhali Sadar Upazila 2007.
