Banshkhali ( bn, বাঁশখালী) is an

upazila An ''upazila'' ( bn, উপজেলা, upôzela, lit=sub-district pronounced: ), formerly called ''thana'', is an administrative region in Bangladesh, functioning as a sub-unit of a district. It can be seen as an analogous to a county or a ...

(administrative region) of Chattogram District in Chattogram Division,

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

Geography

Banshkhali Upazila is located at in Bangladesh. Its neighbouring upazilas are Anwara and Sangu to the north, Chakaria to the south, Lohagara and Satkania to the east, and Kutubdia and the

Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...

to the west. Through it runs a canal named "Shonaichari at Banshkhali" which is locally known as “Honaichari.” In the past, businessmen from Chakaria bought bamboo here and used the Shonaichari Canal to transport the bamboo to other areas. At that time, local people observed that the Shonaichari Canal was filled with bamboo. Banshkhali is named after this historical event. It has 55,609 households and a total area of 376.9 km².

Demographics

As of the 2011 Bangladesh census, Banshkhali had a population of 427,913. Males constituted 224,697 the population, and females 203,216. Among the population, 87% are Muslim, 11% are Hindu, and 1% are Christian and other.

Places of interest

*Chandpur-Boilgaon Tea Estate, Pukuria * Banshkhali Eco Park *Baamer Chara *Sea Beach (Baharchhara Point, Khankhanabadh Point, Kadamrasul Point) * Shangu River *Bokshi Hamid Mosque *Khan Bahadur Jame Masjid, Boilchari *Shafor Alli Munsi Bredge, Sadhanpur *British Kaman. Upazila Board Office, Sadhanpur *Hazi Rafiq Uddin Road, Neazor Para, Jaldi *Ramkrisna Mission, Dakshin Jaldi

Administration

Banshkhali Upazila is divided into Banshkhali Municipality and 14

union parishad Union council ( bn, ইউনিয়ন পরিষদ, translit=iūniyan pariṣad, translit-std=IAST), also known as union parishad, rural council, rural union and simply union, is the smallest rural administrative and local government unit ...

s: Baharchhara, Bailchhari, Chambal, Chhanua, Gandamara, Kalipur, Katharia, Khankhanabad, Puichhari, Pukuria, Sadhanpur, Saral, Sekherkhil, and Silkup. The union parishads are subdivided into 72 mauzas and 81 villages. Banshkhali Municipality is subdivided into 9 wards and 38

mahalla is an Arabic word variously translated as district, quarter, ward, or "neighborhood" in many parts of the Arab world, the Balkans, Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and nearby nations. History Historically, mahallas were autonomous social i ...

Villages

* 1No. Pukuria Union villages: Pukuria, Chanpur, Chandpur, Hajigaon, Natmura, and South Borumchara. * 4 No. Baharchhara Union villages: Chapachari, Ilsha, Baharchhara, Baskala, Roatnapur, Satdigirpara, Maijpara, Haliapara. * 3 no Khankhanabad Union Village's name:- Kadam Rasu Khankhanabad, Kadam Rasul, Premasia, Raichata, Dongra, Digirpara. * 5 No. Kalipur "Izzat Nogar": "There is a Sub Register Office in this area" * 11 No. Puichari Union

Education

There are 412 primary schools, 39 high schools, 66 madrassas, and 7 colleges.

Secondary schools

*Saral Amiria High School(saral-1967) *Bailchari Nazmunessa High School (Bailchari Kb Bazar -1952) * Kokdandi Gunagari High School, Kokdandi * West Banshkali High School (1957), Chapachari * Natmura Pukuria High School, Pukuria * Banskhali Pilot High School, Joldi * Katharia Bagmara High School, Katharia * Kamal Uddin Chy. Girls High School (2005), Chapachari * Banigram Sadhonpur High School (1917), Banigram * Azaharul Huq High School (1943), Kalipur * Khankhanabadh Ideal High School, Khankhanabadh * Monaem Shah Awlia High School, South Borumchara * Hazigoan Borumchara High School (1966), Hazigoan * Joldi Piolot High School (1932), Joldi * Sadhonpur Girl's High School * Azaharul Huq High School (1942), Kalipur * B B Chowdhary High School (1975), Raichata * Sadhanpur Polly Unniyon High School, West Sadhanpur * Baharchara Ratnapur High School (1985) * Napora Shekherkhil High School (1964) * Puichari izzatia ideal high school * Chambal High School , Chambal (1946) * Banskhali Bangabandhu High School * Raichatta Premasia Adhorsho High School

Colleges

* Banshkhli Degree College (1967), Gunagori * West Banshkhli Upokulio Degree College (1995), Chapachari * Alawl Degree College (1973), Joldi * Mtr. N. Ahd. College, Napora * Banshkhli Mohila College, Boilchari * Banshkhali Public School & College, Jaldi Miar Baza *Hazigoan Borumchara School & College (only intermediate)

Madrasas

* Banskhali Hamedia Rahima Alia Madrasa (1974), Chechuria * Chandpur Q.H.R.D.U. Alim Madrasah (1963), Pukuria Union * South Sadhanpur Jumhuriya Islamia Boys & Girl Madrasah (1970) West Banskhali Darul Islah Dakhil Madrasah(1992) jaldhi hosainia kamil madrasah(1947)

Notable residents

* Freedom Fighter and Ex. Member of Parliament

Mokhtar Ahmad Mokhtar Ahmad (31 August 1943 – 21 October 2006) was a politician from the Chittagong District of Bangladesh and an elected a member of parliament for Chittagong-12. He was an organizer of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Liberation War of Bangla ...

-Shadhanpur * Zakirul Hoque Chowdhury-Union President and Chairman (1950-1973), Member Of Provincial Assembly (1962, 1965). Governor-Designate for Chattogram(south) district. Founding President Of Chattogram South District Awami league *Samarendra Lal Dey, Havildar of

East Pakistan Rifles East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the f ...

, freedom fighter and martyr.

References

{{Upazilas and Thanas of Chittagong Banshkhali Upazila