Ukhia Upazila

Ukhia Upazila (cox’s Bazar district) area 261.80 sq km, located in between 21°08' and 21°21' north latitudes and in between 92°03' and 92°12' east longitudes. It is bounded by ramu upazila on the north, teknaf upazila on the south, arakan state of Myanmar and naikhongchhari upazila on the east, the bay of bengal on the west.

Population Total 207379; male 104567, female 102812; Muslim 189821, Hindu 4340, Buddhist 13000, Christian 31 and others 187. Indigenous community such as chakma belongs to this upazila.

Water bodies Main river: naf; Reju Canal is notable.

Administration Ukhia Thana was formed in 1926 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
-	5	13	54	27317	180062	792	40.5	35.6

Upazila Town
Area (sq km)	Mouza	Population	Density (per sq km)	Literacy rate (%)
18.32	1	27317	1491	40.5

Union
Name of union and GO code	Area (acre)	Population		Literacy rate (%)
		Male	Female
Jalia Palong 31	6474	24540	23116	33.6
Palong Khali 79	33442	16508	16335	34.3
Ratna Palong 63	5108	11167	11357	48.2
Raja Palong 47	9735	28663	28232	36.9
Haldia Palong 15	16699	23689	23772	33.6

Source Bangladesh Population Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Archaeological heritage and relics Zadimura Buddhist Vihara (Raja Palong union); Painyasia Jami Mosque, Ukhia Central Jami Mosque, Kali Mandir at Ukhia sadar.

War of Liberation During the war of liberation in 1971, the Pak-soldiers killed the headmaster of Ukhia Ghumdhum Junior School Mohammad Ilias Master and some local people. The freedom fighters fought against the Pakistan army and their collaborators in Ukhia Thana operation and the Haldia-Patabari Purikkhya Rajakar Camp operation.

For details: see উখিয়া উপজেলা, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জ্ঞানকোষ (Encyclopedia of Bangladesh War of Liberation), বাংলাদেশ এশিয়াটিক সোসাইটি, ঢাকা ২০২০, খণ্ড ১।

Religious institutions Mosque 256, temple 44, pagoda 92.

Literacy rate and educational institutions Average literacy 36.3%; male 38.0%, female 34.5%. Noted educational institutions: Ukhia Degree College (1991), Ratna Palong Multilateral Girls' High School (1957), Ukhia Multilateral Girls' High School (1957), Ukhia Model Primary School (1922), Raja Palong Emdadul Ulum Fazil Madrasa (1930).

Cultural organisations Club 12, cinema hall 1, playground 12.

Tourists spots' 18 Km long Enani Sea Beach, Stupa of Tek Pathar (Patua).

Main sources of income Agriculture 54.40%, non-agricultural labourer 10.61%, industry 0.36%, commerce 15.05%, transport and communication 3.40%, service 0.34%, construction 1.45%, religious service 0.34%, rent and remittance 1.46% and others 12.95%.

Main crops Paddy, wheat, pulse, sugarcane, spices, jute, cotton, betel leaf, vegetables.

Extinct or nearly extinct crops Sesame, linseed, mustard.

Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, pineapple, papaya, betel nut, coconut, banana.

Fisheries, dairies and poultries Fishery 8, hatchery 10.

Communication facilities Pucca road 94 km, semi-pucca road 108 km, mud road 284 km; waterway 15 km.

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

Noted manufactories Rice mill 135, flour mill 85, ice mill 2.

Cottage industries Blacksmith 25, weaving 80, brass and bell metal work 9, bamboo and cane work 431, embroidery 54,' potteries 11.

Hats, bazars and fairs Hats and bazars are 5, fair 1, most noted of which are Ukhia Bazar, Rumkhan Bazar, Kot Bazar, Marichha Bazar, Kalkhali Bazar and Baishakhi Mela.

Main exports Betel leaf, betel nut, coconut.

Access to electricity All the unions of the upazila are under rural electrification net-work. However 23.2% of the dwelling households have access to electricity.

Sources of drinking water Tube-well 82.7%, tap 0.8% and others 16.5%.

Sanitation 34.1% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 43.6% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 22.3% of households do not have latrine facilities.

Health centres Upazila health complex 1, family planning centre 5, union health centre 4.

NGO activities Operationally important NGOs are brac, proshika, asa, CARE, caritas.'

[Towhid Hossain Chowdhury]

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