Boalkhali (Bengali: বোয়ালখালী) is an Upazila of Chittagong District (Location: Chittagong, Bangladesh) with an area of 145.44 sq km, located in between 22°20' and 22°25' north latitudes and in between 91°52' and 92°03' east longitudes. It is bounded by Raozan and Rangunia Upazilas on the north, Patiya Upazila on the south, Rangunia Upazila on the east and Chandgaon Thana on the west. It is said t
hat Boalkhali was named after the name of the famous Sufi devotee, Hazrat Bu Ali Qalander Shah. The Karnaphuli River, Karaldenga Hill and Amuchia Forest are noted. Karnaphuli River is the major watercourse of the Chittagong region, Bangladesh. Rising in the Mizo Hills of Mizoram state, north-eastern India, it flows about 170 miles (270 km) south and southwest through the southeastern arm of Bangladesh to empty into the Bay of Bengal, 12 miles (19 km) below the city ofChittagong. The river’s Karnaphuli hydroelectric project provides power for tea, jute, to***co, and cotton processing industries; the reservoir irrigates a vast agricultural area. Karaldenga Hill and Amuchia Forest are tourist spots and important installations. Kalurghat Bridge is an old bridge, once the only link between the southern-region of Chittagong Division on the bank of the river, Karnaphuli, with the rest of the country. This 239m long bridge was installed as a simple rail bridge of steel structure between Janalihut and Gomdandi railway stations in 1930. The bridge was commissioned for operation of trains in Chittagong-Dohazari section in the year 1931. Thirty-one years after its inauguration, considering the suffering of the people it was modified with decking and carpeting and turned into a rail and road-bridge in 1962. British engineers constructed it with 13 different types of spans that include one 45.72m steel girder, twelve 30.48m under-slung ones, five pieces of 24.38m and a single 12.19m deck type span and twelve 4.88m joists. It has an approach of 171m length at Chittagong end and 150m at the Dohazari end. In 1989, Karnaphuli Bridge (Shah Amanat Bridge) was constructed over the river, Karnaphuli. Shah Amanat Bridge brought a great change in the communication; shortening both the distance and time needed for the journey. Bangladesh Railway (BR), the owner of the Kalurghat Bridge, leases it out every year to earn revenue that stood at over Tk 10 million in the auction of 2002 for the use of road transportation. History of the War of Liberation: Many people were killed or wounded in direct encounters between the freedom fighters and the Pak army at different places of the Upazila like Kalurghat, Fakirni Dighir Par and Kanungo Para. The Pak army conducted mass killing at the premises of the Durgabari of Kandhurkhil on 13 October. They also conducted torture and plundering and set many houses on fire. Marks of the War of Liberation: Memorial Monument 2 (Shaheed Shantimoy Khastogir and Shaheed Dilip Chowdhury at the premises of Sir Asutosh College, Kanungo Para). Population: Total 287178 (Male: 148467, Female: 138711; Muslim: 218045, Hindu: 62598, Buddhist: 292, Christian: 6079, and Others: 164). Administration: Boalkhali Thana was formed on 9 August 1910 and it was turned into an Upazila on 3 July 1983. The Upazila consists of 10 Union Parishads, 35 mouzas and 34 villages. Population: Urban is 51695, Rural is 235483. Density (per sq km) is 1974. Literacy rate (%): Urban is 68.72, Rural is 69.39. Archaeological Heritage and Relics: Sreepura Bura Mosque, Dewan Vita (c. 1711), Mazar of Hazrat Bu Ali Qalandar (R) at Karaldanga, Kalachan Thakur Bari (a temple of Bhagoban Vashudev, Location: Popadia), Lalar Dighi (Kandhurkhil), Kanungopara Shyam Roy Mandir and Medos Hermitage. Religious Institutions: Mosque 198, Temple 40, Church 1, Pagoda 18, and Tomb 15. Average Literacy: 69.06%; Male 72.06%, Female 65.87%. Educational Institutions: Sir Asutosh Degree College (1939), Boalkhali Sirajul Islam Degree College (1970), Kandhurkhil Jalil Ambia Degree College (1970), Purna Chandra Sen Saroatali High School (1880), Sakpura Adarsha High School (1915), Kanungo Para Dr. Bibhutibhushan High School (1917), Charandwip Dewan Bibi Girls' High School (1921), Mukta Keshe Girls' High School (1928), Sakpura Probortak Girls' High School (1930), Sree Aurobindo Girls' High School (1943), Khitabchar Azizia Mabudia Aliya Madrasa (1970), Haji Motiur Rahman Primary School, Darappara Salma Khatun Madrasa and Al-Haj Budrus Meher High School. Newspapers and Periodicals Monthly: Boalkhali, Boalkhali Barta (defunct), Somajchitra; Fortnightly: Alokito Boalkhali. Cultural Organizations: Library 15; Bandhab Pathagar (Library) and Nabarun Literary Society
Special Attractions: Karoldanga Hill and extended river bank of Karnaphuli. Main Sources of Income: Agriculture 18.06%, non-agircultural labourer 4.40%, industry 0.52%, commerce 19.29%, transport and communication 3.49%, service 22.54%, construction 1.34%, religious service 0.50%, rent and remittance 12% and others 17.86%. Ownership of Agricultural Land: Landowner 39.07%, landless 60.93%. Main Crops: Paddy, potato, jute, and to***co. Extinct OR Nearly Extinct Crops: Sugarcane. Main Fruits: Guava, and palm. Fisheries, Dairies and Poultries: This Upazila has a number of fisheries, dairies and poultries. Communication Facilities: Pacca road 55 km, semi pacca road 140, mud road 291 km; railways 9 km; waterways 10.79 nautical miles. Extinct or Nearly Extinct Traditional Transport: Palanquin, bullock cart, horse carriage. Manufacturers: Yarn mill, paper mill, ice factory, garments industry, salt industry, steel factory and ship construction factory. Cottage Industries: Weaving, potteries and lime industry. Hats, Bazars and Fairs: Hats and bazars are 11, fairs 1; most noted of which are Murad Munshi Hat,
Nurulla Munshi Hat, Kalai Hat, Chowdhury Hat, Zamadar Hat, Arnopurna Hat, Chadar Hat, Kanugopara
Master Bazar and Hari Mandir Baishakhi Mela, Kalachan Thakur Bari Mela and Surjo Broto Mela. Main Exports: Clothes, chicken and milk. Access to Electricity: All the unions of the Upazila are under rural electrification net-work; however, 61.96% dwelling households have access to electricity. Sources of Drinking Water: Tube-well 93.43%, pond 2.25%, tap 0.37% and others 3.95%. Sanitation: 56.46% of dwelling households of the upazila use sanitary latrines and 38.08% of dwelling households use non-sanitary latrines; 5.46% of households do not have latrine facilities. Health Centers: Upazila health complex 1, union health centre 6, family welfare centre 9. NGO Activities: ASA, and Proshika. Works Cited:
< http://www.ebanglapedia.com/>.
< http://www.britannica.com/>.
< http://www.burnstandard.com/>.
< http://en.banglapedia.org/>.
