Brahmanbaria District

Brahmanbaria ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া
—  District  —
Location of Brahmanbaria in Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23.9528°N 91.1167°E / 23.9528; 91.1167
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong Division
Area
• Total	1,927.11 km2 (744.06 sq mi)
	Bhadughar Meela = Bhadughar Boishahi Meela (14th Boishah)
Population (1991)
• Total	2,365,880
• Density	1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi)
Literacy rate
• Total	26.6%
Time zone	BST (UTC+6)
• Summer (DST)	BDST (UTC+7)
Postal code	3400
Website	http://www.dcbrahmanbaria.gov.bd/

Brahmanbaria (Bengali: ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া Bramhonbaŗia) is a district in east-central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Division. It was part of greater Comilla District until 1984. Before 1830 the Sarail Pargana was a part of Mymensingh district. The district has 4 municipalities, 39 wards, 97 mahallas, 8 upazilas, 98 union parishads, 1052 mouzas and 1329 villages.

Geography

Brahmanbaria district is located at the east-central region of Bangladesh. It has a total area of 1927.11 km². Brahmanbaria is bounded by Kishoreganj District and Habiganj District on the north, Comilla District on the south, Habiganj District and Tripura State, India on the east and Meghna River, Kishoreganj District, Narsingdi District and Narayanganj District on the west.

The geography of the district is characterized by low-lying land with small hills and hillocks of red soil. Annual highest average temperature is 34.3 °C and lowest 12.7 °C. Total annual rainfall is 2551 mm. The main rivers of the district are the Meghna River, the Titas River,Buri and Haora.

Administrative units

Brahmanbaria district is divided into eight Upazillas (previously known as Thanas) as below:

• Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila
• Ashuganj Upazila
• Nasirnagar Upazila
• Nabinagar Upazila
• Sarail Upazila
• Kasba Upazila
• Akhaura Upazila
• Bancharampur Upazila
• Bijoynagar Upazila(new)creat-dec 2010

Parliament constituencies

There are six Jatiyo Shangshad constituencies in Brahmanbaria district. These constituencies and the current Members of Parliament are:

• Natioanl seat no 243 Brahmanbaria 1 (Current MP Mohammad Sayedul Haq)
• Natioanl seat no 244 Brahmanbaria 2 (Current MP Ziaul Haque Mridha)
• Natioanl seat no 245 Brahmanbaria 3 (Current MP R.A.M. Obaydul Muktadir Chowdhury)
• Natioanl seat no 246 Brahmanbaria 4 (Current MP Mohammed Shah Alam)
• Natioanl seat no 247 Brahmanbaria 5 (Current MP Shah Zikrul Ahmad)
• Natioanl seat no 248 Brahmanbaria 6 (Current MP A B Tajul Islam)

Culture

Brahmanbaria has a rich tradition of nurturing art, education and culture. It is often called the cultural capital of Bangladesh. In field of literature, the contributions of Adyta Mallavarman, Jotirindra Nandi, Abdul Kadir, Fazal Shahabuddin are remarkable. The town also represents a rich tradition of musical endeavor. Ustad Allauddin Khan, the great musical talent of the subcontinent and the father of 'Maihar Gharana' of classical Indian music, was born in this district in 1862.

Others who contributed to the arena of music from Brahmanbaria significantly are Ustad Fakir (Tapas) Aftab Uddin Khan, Ustad Ayet Ali Khan, Ustad Ali Akbor Khan, Ustad Bahadur Hussain Khan, Ustad Abed Hussain Khan, Ustad Khadem Hussain Khan, Ustad Raja Hussain Khan, Amar Paul, Ustad Khurshid Khan, Subal Das, Syed Abdul Hadi and Ustad Afjalur Rahman. Ustad Ayet Ali Khan established the Alauddin Music College in Brahmanbaria in 1957 and Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin established the Alauddin Sangitayan in 1975. Mohorshee Monomohan Dutta is also a remarkable name for his "Molaya" music. Sachin Dev Burman (better known as SD Burman), the renowned musician of the subcontinent, spent some time in Brahmanbaria. Umesh Chandra Roy was one of the greatest musicians of Alauddin Music institute.

Al Mahmud, one of the leading poets of modern Bengali, was born in Brahmanbaria in 1936.

Well-known painter Mr. Ripon's home district was Brahmanbaria

History

Brahmanbaria was a part of Samatata Janapada of the ancient Bengal. The first and temporary capital of Isa Khan was at Sarail, located at 10 km north of Brahmanbaria Town. During the Mughal era, Brahmanbaria was famous for producing quality cloth Muslin.

Brahmanbaria was made one of the 3 Sub-divisions of Comilla District by the British rulers in 1860. Brahmanbaria Municipality was established in 1868. It became part of East Pakistan in 1947 which eventually became independent Bangladesh in 1971.

During the 19th century, Brahmanbaria produced great nationalist leaders like Nawab Syed Shamsul Huda, who became president of All India Muslim League in 1921, and Barrister Abdur Rasul a front ranking leader of Indian National Congress. When the swadeshi movement began in the wake of the partition of Bengal (1905), Brahmanbaria born revolutionary Ullaskar Datta (Aviram) was convicted for throwing bomb and was deported to the Andamans. On 14 December 1931 Suniti Chowdhury, Shanti Ghosh and Gopal Deb killed the then District magistrate CCB Stevens at his residence by gunshot. During the peasant movement in 1930, Congress leader Abdul Hakim asked the peasants to stop payment of taxes. During the no-rent movement, four civilians were killed when the British soldiers indiscriminately fired on civilians.

Upon encouragement of Oli Ahad, a pioneer Language Movement leader who hailed from Brahmanbaria, the movement obtained momentum in this district in 1952.

Mostafa Kamal (Bir Sreshtho) obtained martyrdom in an encounter at Daruin of Akhaura during the War of Independence in 1971. The graveyard of this hero is situated at Mogra. sheed (late) abm abdur rahim born here on 1st January, 1935 Mullah Bari, village Ghatiara, union Bashudeb, police station & district Brahmmanbaria. Pakistan army arrest abm abdur rahim , his work palace ujalla match factory, postogola Dhaka 5th may 1971, when he addressing secret meeting his work place with his stuff, worker & local leader about participate liberation war as a freedom fighter for independent Bangladesh. Pakistan army convicted him as a state-enemy. They start a Police case as state-enemy against abm rahim at tejgon police station same day. He couldn’t come bake from Pakistani army’s custody. After liberation Bangabandhu shekh mojibar rahman wrote a later Rahims family with sorrow & he gives money his wife. Bangladesh postal department published postal stamp as his honor.Bangla academy published a book “srimty ‘71” part 4 by edited by Rashid haydar

Demography

Predominant occupation of the district is agriculture, though the number of industrial workers, service sector personnel and commercial officials are on the rise.

Religion in Brahmanbaria
Religion			Percentage
Islam			90.73%
Hinduism			9.07%
Buddhism			0.05%
Christianity			0.04%
Others			0.11%

49.49% people of the district are male while 50.51% inhabitants are female.

The religious composition of the district is Muslim 90.73%, Hindu 9.07%, Buddhist 0.05%, Christian 0.04% and others 0.11%.

The district of Brahmanbaria has 3986 mosques, 262 temples and 43 churches.

For more information visit http://amardesh.com/zilla_brahmanbaria.php.

Newspaper

Locally published newspapers and periodicals Daily Brahmanbaria (1992) which has been published by Md. Nurul Hossain. Daily Pratibedan (1993), Daily Ajker Halchal (1997), Daily Titas Kantha (1999), Daily Samatat Barta (2000), Daily Dindarpan (2000); Md. Nurul Hossain also published Weekly Titas, Weekly Deshdarpan Edited and Published by Journalist, Poet and Rhyme Writer, Jurist and Educationist Dr Mohammed Yeasin Khan LLB Honours, LLM, PhD (England),now an Advocate-on-Record of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, who in his PhD thesis ‘Protection and Promotion of Human Rights for Peace and Development’ recommended a new doctrine of world peace: ‘The Man for Man Theory of World Peace’(1981), Weekly Penbridg (1999), Fortnightly Charch (1997); Periodicals- Sahitya Academy Patrika, Nasirnagar Barta, Sarail Barta, Muktaprabaha; extinct- Bangabandhu (1875, Kalikachha), Usha (1893), Hira (1894), Sudhakar (nineteenth century), Santan (1913), Palli Pradip (1920, Kalikachha), Al Bushra (1921), Prajabandhu (1920), Chunta Prakash (1926), Tripura Prakash (1301 BS), Rayat Bandhu (1929, Kalikachha), Jayanti (nineteenth century), Sebak (1957), Parichaya (1964), Samaj (1966), Pari (1966), Vhela (1967), Tridhara (1967), Pratinidhi (1970), Pratibedan (1979),Renessa (1988), Belaseshe (1992, Sarail).shusil shomajer dak(akhaura)

Cultural organisations

Club 89, public library 9, cinema hall 16, womem's organisation 80, community centre 8, Shilpakala Academy 1, Shishu Academy 1, Museum 1, theatre stage 1, theatre group 8, opera party (extinct) 20, circus party 1, puppet-show party 10, literary society 20, cooperative society 832 and playground 85. Noted cultural organisations: BGFC Officers' Club, Brahmanbaria Public Library, Brahmanbaria Archives Museum, Town Hall (Ustad Alauddin Khan Municipal Auditorium), Royal Star Circus, Royal Bina Opera, Sahitya Academy. For more information visit [1]

Economy

• Main occupations: Agriculture 44.79%, agricultural labourer 15.82%, wage labourer 3.13%, commerce 12.26%, service 6.8%, fishing 2.02% and transport 1.85%, weaving 2.39% and others 10.94%.

• Land Use: Total cultivable land 1,522.80 km²; fallow land 7 km²; single crop 28.38%, double crop 53.95% and triple crop land 17.67%; land under irrigation 55.31%.

• Land Control: Among the peasants 11% are landless, 61% small, 24% intermediate and 4% rich; cultivable land 700 m² per head.

• Main crops: Rice, jute, wheat, mustard seed, potato, onion, garlic, chili, pulses, brinjal and Kakrol.

• Main Fruits: Mango, jackfruit, blackberry, papaya, coconut, guava, lemon and banana.

• Manufacturing plants: Fertiliser factory, flour mills, rice mills, ice factory, oil mill, saw mill, welding, etc. Zia Fertilizer, the biggest fertilizer factory of Bangladesh is located by the bank of Meghna at Ashuganj, which is a major trade centre of rice in the eastern part of Bangladesh.

• Electric Power: Ashuganj Tap Bidyut Kendra(Power centre)located in the bank of Meghna,is the major power generation centre for capital Dhaka.Main raw material for this plant is Titas gas.

• Minerals: Titas Gasfield is located at the outskirts of Brahmanbaria town. This field was discovered in 1962. As per latest official re-estimation, total recoverable gas reserve of Titas gas field is 4,740 billion cubic feet (134 km³). Commercial gas production from this field was commenced in 1968 and till August 31, 2006 total 2,581.162 billion cubic feet (7.30904×10¹⁰ m³) gas has been produced. The wells are spread (surface location) at 6 (six) different locations stretched over about 8 km distance. At present maximum 475 million cubic feet (13,500,000 m³) of gas is produced daily and supplied to the transmission pipelines of Titas Gas Transmission & Distribution Co. Ltd. (TGTDCL) and Gas Transmission Company Ltd. (GTCL). Condensate produced (540 bbl (86 m³) per day on an average) with gas as by-product is fractionated into MS (Petrol) and HSD(Diesel) through two fractionation plants and the products are being supplied to Padma Oil Company Ltd. Saldanodi Gas field is another gas field sitiuated in Kasba.It also plays an important contribution in national economy.This is launched by BAPEX.Meghna Gas Field is another Gas field of Brahmanbaria.

• Cottage Industries: The district is famous for the production of cotton fabrics. In the nineteenth century, Tanjeb, a fine quality muslin, used to be produced in Sarail. Hats, made of cane, are being produced at Radhika from the British period. Since Brahmanbaria has a rich tradition of boat race, boats are being made at Champaknagar.

For more information visit [2]

Communications

Communicational facilities of Brahmanbaria district are :

• Roads - pucca (paved) 266 km, semi pucca 86 km and mud road 1629 km;
• Waterways 131- nautical miles;
• Railways- 71 km.

Brahmanbaria Station,renovated in 2004, is one of the busiest Railway Stations in the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet line. Akhaura Junction is the biggest railway junction in the eastern part of Bangladesh.

For more information visit [3]

Prominent Educational Institutions

• chatalpar college,chatalpar
• chatalpar wazuddin high school
• Ratanpur fajelia dakil madrasa , chatal par
• Brahmanbaria Govt. College, Brahmanbaria web:www.bgc.edu.bd >> [4]
• Badughar Poura adorsho High School
• Badughar Kamil Madrasha
• Brahmanbaria Govt. Women's College, Brahmanbaria
• Bancharampur S.M.Pilot High School
• Bancharampur Degree College
• Kazi Shafiqul Islam Degree College, Islampur
• Nabinagar Government College, Nabinagar
• T.Ali College, Kasba
• Satura Chandpur High School & Collage, Akhaura
• Mogra High School, Akhaura
• Debogram Pilot High School, Akhaura
• Kharera M High School, Kasba
• N I Bhuiyan School & Collage, Kasba
• Jamsherpur High school, Kasba
• Badair saber sadat high school, Kasba
• Alhaj Harun Al Rashid Degree College, Shuhilpur.
• Brahmanbaria High School web:www.bhsbd.info >> [5]
• Mirasani Polytechnic Academy, Brahmanbaria(Bijoynagar)
• Annada Govt. High School, Brahmanbaria
• Nasirnagar Govt. Girls' High School, Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria.
• Nasirnagar Ashutosh Pilot High School, Nasirnagar, Brahmanbaria.
• Government Model Girls' High School, Brahmanbaria
• Sabera Sobhan Girls' High School, Brahmanbaria
• Ideal Residential School & College, Brahmanbaria
• Niaz Mohammad High School, Brahmanbaria
• Kuti Atal Bihari High School, Kuti
• Sarail Annada High School, Sarail
• Kheora Anandamoyi High School
• Kalikacchha Pathshala High School
• Railway Government High School, Akhaura
• Nabinagar Pilot High School, Nabinagar
• Suhilpur Islamia Dakhil Madrashah,Suhilpur
• Bakail High School
• Tamiz Uddin High School, Chandapur.
• Bodhal High School, Bodhal.
• Shohata Adarsha Girls High School, Shohata.
• Brahmanbaria Polytecnic Institute, Islampur, Brahmanbaria.
• Panishar High School,Panishar
• Talshahar A. A.I. High School
• Global Academy, Talshahar, Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria.
• Talshahar Karimia Fazil Madrasha.
• Hazi Feroz Mia Degree College, Alamnagor, Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria.
• Pattan high school,bijoynagar,brahmanbaria

Places of interest

• Kachua darbar sharif,chatalpar ,Nasir nagar
• Mazar Sharif, Satura Sharif, Akhaura
• Shah Kella Sayed Mazar Sharif, Kadompur, Akhaura
• Gonga Shagor, Mogra, Akhaura
• Akhaura Railway junction (largest one)
• Kallayn Shagor, Kasba
• Deity at Kal Bhairab Temple, Medda (early 19th century)
• Jame Mosque of Sarail (1662)
• Shrine(Mazar) of Kella Shahid at Akhaura (early 18th century)
• Tomb of Hazrat Syed Kazi Mahmud Shah (R)at Kazipara (early 19th century)
• Tofael-Azam Memorial Tower at the City Centre (1958)
• Sree Sree Anandamoyi Asrom, Kheora, Kasba
• Tomb of Birsrestha Mustafa Kamal, Akhaura
• Bangladesh UK friendship Bridge, Ashuganj
• Arphail Sagardighi Mosque & Twin Graves (16th century), Sarail
• Arphannesa Mosque, Sarail (1662)
• Bhadughar Shahi Mosque, Bhadurghar (1084 AH)
• Satidaha Temple (Biddakut), Nabinagar
• Hatir Pool (Elephant Bridge), Baraiura
• Shrine of Hazrat Shah Rahat Ali, Soyfullahkandi, Banchharampur
• Shohata Jame Mosque (most beautiful and old 1947)
• Kullapathar, kasba
• Titas Gas Field of Bancharampur
• Alhaj Begum Nurunnaher College, Narashingshar, Brahmanbaria. Fayez
• Payag-Narashingshar A.Bari. High school, Narashingshar, Brahmanbaria Fayez
• Aribari Kamiel Madrasha Kasba
• CDC Kasba

References

• Md. Nayan Bhuiyan,chatalpar, Nasir nagar

External links

• Banglapedia Article on Brahmanbaria
• Samatata
• Zia Fertilizer at Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria
• Titas Gas & BGFCL