Khagrachhari District


Khagrachhari District, officially Khagrachhari Hill District, is a district in the Chittagong Division of Southeastern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
WWW khagrachhari.gov.bd

Etymology

The zila headquarters is located on the bank of the Chengi river which was full of Catkin plants. It is believed that the zila might have derived its name from the above two words 'Khagra' and 'Chhara'.

History

The Chittagong Hill Tracts was loosely under the reign of the Tripura State, the Arakans & the Sultans in different times before it came under the control of the British East India Company in 1760. Although the British got the authority of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in 1760, they had no authority besides collecting nominal taxes. Until 1860, two kings or chiefs governed the internal administration of this region. In 1860, another circle was formed in present Khagrachari zila, inhabited by the Tripura population. The chief or the Raja of this circle was selected from the minority Marma population. The circle was named after the Tripura dialect the Mun Circle, but later, the 'Mun dialect', was changed and renamed as Mong Circle. In 1900 the British offered independent status to Chittagong Hill Tracts recognizing the culture and language of the hill tracts population. But during the Partition of India, this status was abolished and became part of East Bengal, ruled under Pakistan. Then, the name of this subdivision was Ramgarh with its headquarters at Khagrachari. It was upgraded to zila in 1983. Khagrachari Local Govt. Council was established on 6 March 1989 to uphold the political, social, cultural, educational and economic right and to expedite the process of socio-economic development of all residents of Khagrachari Hill District. According to this council was renamed as "Khagrachari Hill District Council " by the Act-10 of 1998. Now this council has been regarded as the main focal point of administration as well as development activities of the district.

Geography

Khagrachari is a hilly area. It is bounded by Tripura state of India on the north and west, Rangamati district to the east and Chittagong District to the southwest. Notable hill ranges are Golamoon, Chotto Panchari, Karmi Mura, Lutiban, Kuradia, Bhanga Mura, Jopisil.
It has three rivers, namely Chengi, Feni and Maini. Chengi is the longest river in Khagrachhari. The main ethnic groups living in the district are Tripuris, Chakmas, Bengalis and Marmas.

Demographics

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Khagrachhari District had 169,526 households and a population of 714,119 with an average 4.14 people per household. Among the population, 144,968 inhabitants were under 10 years of age. Khagrachhari had a literacy rate of 71.80%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 100.27 males to 100 females. Approximately, 41.74% of the population lived in urban areas. The population density was 260 people per km2.
As per the 2022 Census, there were a total of 349,390 indigenous people in the district. The population of major ethnic minorities living in the district besides the Bengalis, including: Chakma 175,165, Tripura 98,500 and Marma 74,210.
UpazilaBengaliChakmaMarmaTripuraOthers
Dighinala Upazila39 %53.4 %0.06%7.38%0.52%
Guimara Upazila35.6%7.37%38.1%18.79%0.14%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila40.8%27.1%10.9%20.99%0.30%
Lakshmichhari Upazila25.8%51.3%21.8%0.46%0.64%
Mahalchhari Upazila37%43.5%15.31%3.97%0.22%
Manikchhari Upazila73.6%1.93%18.7%5.60%0.17%
Matiranga Upazila76.1 %3.12%2.07%18.68%0.03%
Panchhari Upazila33%44.1%3.12%19.36%0.42%
Ramgarh Upazila73.1%2.77%10.6%13.28%0.25%

UpazilaUnionBengaliChakmaTripuraMarmaOthers
Khagrachhari UpazilaKhagrachhari Paurashava41,22311,1912,5273,699235
Khagrachhari UpazilaBhaibonchhara Union1,8468,46910,7131,69513
Khagrachhari UpazilaGolabari Union6,5431,7073,9912,90531
Khagrachhari UpazilaKamalchhari Union4,2857,6031,1842,88720
Khagrachhari UpazilaKhagrachhari Union1,2222,6773,7232,7183
Khagrachhari UpazilaPerachhara Union3795,2906,43888829
Ramgarh UpazilaRamgarh Paurashava24,6751,363831,987104
Ramgarh UpazilaPatachhara Union8,4394,5581,5421,93020
Ramgarh UpazilaRamgar Union11,3102,144562,5291
Matiranga UpazilaMatiranga Paurashava26,8639221,2322978
Matiranga UpazilaAmtali Union7,10232,508121
Matiranga UpazilaBaranal Union8,8552681,1518256
Matiranga UpazilaBelchhari Union11,8442462,32117119
Matiranga UpazilaGumti Union11,00762,90102
Matiranga UpazilaMatiranga Union1,55537311,3356443
Matiranga UpazilaTabalchhari Union17,5977071,2564030
Matiranga UpazilaTaindang Union11,5241,4259432690
Dighinala UpazilaBabuchhara Union2,07412,9273362554
Dighinala UpazilaBoalkhali Union9,2208,2754,06622112
Dighinala UpazilaDighinala Union45514,35920824
Dighinala UpazilaKabakhali Union9,1858,7172672
Dighinala UpazilaMerung Union24,08217,3404,0751114
Guimara UpazilaGuimara Union6,4181,1705,9414,73821
Guimara UpazilaHafchhari Union11,3841,5471,70611,29452
Guimara UpazilaSindukchhari Union11511,2102,3604,2613
Lakkhichhari UpazilaBarmachhari Union754,704811,94328
Lakkhichhari UpazilaDulyatali Union2,3263,27581,9432
Lakkhichhari UpazilaLakkhichhari Union4,5915,957372,038140
Lakkhichhari UpazilaKiyangghat Union1,7087,2253124
Mahalchhari UpazilaMahalchhari Union9,4115,4837592,85392
Mahalchhari UpazilaMaischhari Union6,9463,2671,1722,40043
Mahalchhari UpazilaMubachhari Union675,382142,22213
Manikchhari UpazilaBatnatali Union10,282261,1583,6610
Manikchhari UpazilaJogyachhola Union9,1583972,5801,3125
Manikchhari UpazilaManikchhari Union21,6577471166,27663
Manikchhari UpazilaTintahari Union15,5733194593,18256
Panchhari UpazilaChengi Union1827,0351,4902067
Panchhari UpazilaLatiban Union724,3354,8999503
Panchhari UpazilaLogang Union2,5726,7592,90111473
Panchhari UpazilaPanchhari Union12,7429,2981,926459203
Panchhari UpazilaUltachhari Union7,1052,8432,0794246

? Bengali majority ? Chakma majority ? Tripura majority ? Marma majority

Bengali in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Bengalis are the largest group in Khagrachhari District.
They are largest ethnic group in Matiranga Upazila, Manikchhari Upazila, Ramgarh Upazila and Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Bengali
Matiranga Upazila96,35276.10%
Manikchhari Upazila56,67073.57%
Ramgarh Upazila44,42473.14%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila55,50540.77%
Dighinala Upazila45,02039.00%
Mahalchhari Upazila18,13336.95%
Guimara Upazila18,95535.59%
Panchhari Upazila22,67833.02%
Lakshmichhari Upazila6,99225.76%

Chakma in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Chakmas are the largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District.
They are the largest ethnic group in Dighinala Upazila, Lakshmichhari Upazila, Panchhari Upazila and Mahalchhari Upazila.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Chakma
Dighinala Upazila61,61853.38%
Lakshmichhari Upazila,13,93651.33%
Panchhari Upazila30,27044.04%
Mahalchhari Upazila21,35743.52%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila36,93727.13%
Guimara Upazila3,9277.37%
Matiranga Upazila3,9503.12%
Ramgarh Upazila1,6812.77%
Manikchhari Upazila1,4891.93%

Tripura in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Tripuras are second largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District.
They are the second largest ethnic group in Matiranga Upazila and Ramgarh Upazila
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Tripura
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila28,57620.99%
Panchhari Upazila13,29519.36%
Guimara Upazila10,00718.79%
Matiranga Upazila23,64718.68%
Ramgarh Upazila8,06513.28%
Dighinala Upazila8,5237.38%
Manikchhari Upazila4,3135.60%
Mahalchhari Upazila1,9483.97%
Lakshmichhari Upazila1260.46%

Marma in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Marmas are third largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District.
They are the largest indigenous group in Guimara Upazila and second largest in Manikchhari Upazila.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Marma
Guimara Upazila20,29338.10%
Lakshmichhari Upazila5,92421.82%
Manikchhari Upazila14,43118.73%
Mahalchhari Upazila7,48715.25%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila14,79210.86%
Ramgarh Upazila6,44610.61%
Panchhari Upazila2,1433.12%
Matiranga Upazila2,6212.07%
Dighinala Upazila730.06%

Religion

UpazilavMuslimBuddhistChristianHinduOthers
Dighinala Upazila35.70 %54.54 %0.33%9.41%0.35%
Guimara Upazila30.60%46.74%0.12%22.51%0.15%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila34.98%38.50%1.75%24.76%1.76%
Lakshmichhari Upazila20.07%77.73 %0.13%2.07%0.13%
Mahalchhari Upazila30.94%61.67%0.41%6.93%0.46%
Manikchhari Upazila68.01 %21.50 %0.29%10.15%0.34%
Matiranga Upazila73.94 %5.58%0.42%19.73%0.74%
Panchhari Upazila30.78%47.25%0.50%21.46%0.60%
Ramgarh Upazila65.48%14.63 %0.41%19.16%0.73%

UpazilaUnionMuslimBuddhistHinduOthers
Khagrachhari UpazilaKhagrachhari Paurashava34,56115,9257,936453
Khagrachhari UpazilaBhaibonchhara Union1,49110,18010,640212
Khagrachhari UpazilaGolabari Union5,8694,7014,45473
Khagrachhari UpazilaKamalchhari Union4,20410,0201,158293
Khagrachhari UpazilaKhagrachhari Union1,2025,3993,64261
Khagrachhari UpazilaPerachhara Union2866,1875,883344
Ramgarh UpazilaRamgarh Paurashava20,8292,2964,793287
Ramgarh UpazilaPatachhara Union8,0683,7294,550142
Ramgarh UpazilaRamgarh Union10,8732,8622,29114
Dighinala UpazilaBabuchhara Union1,78613,02454769
Dighinala UpazilaBoalkhali Union6,8099,2715,473142
Dighinala UpazilaDighinala Union39514,4083627
Dighinala UpazilaKabakhali Union9,1128,7065069
Dighinala UpazilaMerung Union23,11117,5514,76199
Guimara UpazilaGuimara Union4,4576,3287,47033
Guimara UpazilaHafchhari Union10,95213,0641,93334
Guimara UpazilaSindukchhari Union8865,5012,58711
Lakkhichhari UpazilaBarmachhari Union616,6539918
Lakkhichhari UpazilaDulyatali Union1,5325,9892211
Lakkhichhari UpazilaLakkhichhari Union3,8558,4614407
Mahalchhari UpazilaKiyangghat Union1,3487,4527145
Mahalchhari UpazilaMahalchhari Union7,2999,1712,09533
Mahalchhari UpazilaMaischhari Union6,5375,9611,28941
Mahalchhari UpazilaMubachhari Union27,682113
Manikchhari UpazilaBatnatali Union10,0113,7461,3700
Manikchhari UpazilaJogyachhola Union9,0931,7092,412238
Manikchhari UpazilaManikchhari Union18,8777,4082,55714
Manikchhari UpazilaTintahari Union14,4043,6941,47814
Matiranga UpazilaMatiranga Paurashava25,3261,5092,351136
Matiranga UpazilaAmtali Union6,957152,55995
Matiranga UpazilaBaranal Union8,5911,1971,30215
Matiranga UpazilaBelchhari Union11,6704942,224213
Matiranga UpazilaGumti Union10,89472,809206
Matiranga UpazilaMatiranga Union1,1661,02011,547177
Matiranga UpazilaTabalchhari Union17,5181,1201,31114
Matiranga UpazilaTaindang Union11,4921,70587589
Panchhari UpazilaChengi Union1547,1731,482111
Panchhari UpazilaLatiban Union675,2244,822146
Panchhari UpazilaLogang Union2,4726,8663,06813
Panchhari UpazilaPanchhari Union11,3789,9383,26042
Panchhari UpazilaUltachhari Union7,0683,2482,10932

ReligionUnionMunicipality
Islam183
Buddhism170
Hinduism30
Total383

Islam

According to 2022 census, Islam is the largest religion in Khagrachhari district.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Islam
Matiranga Upazila93,61873.94%
Manikchhari Upazila52,38768.02%
Ramgarh Upazila39,77565.48%
Dighinala Upazila41,21735.70%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila47,62034.98%
Mahalchhari Upazila15,18630.94%
Panchhari Upazila21,14130.78%
Guimara Upazila16,29530.60%
Lakshmichhari Upazila5,44820.07%

Buddhism

According to 2022 census, Buddhism is the second largest in Khagrachhari District.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Buddhism
Lakshmichhari Upazila,21,10377.73%
Mahalchhari Upazila30,26761.67%
Dighinala Upazila62,96054.54%
Panchhari Upazila32,45247.25%
Guimara Upazila24,89446.74%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila52,41238.50%
Manikchhari Upazila16,55721.50%
Ramgarh Upazila8,88714.63%
Matiranga Upazila7,0685.58%

Hinduism

According to 2022 census, Hinduism is third largest religion in Khagrachhari district.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Hinduism
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila3371324.76%
Guimara Upazila1199122.51%
Panchhari Upazila1474121.46%
Matiranga Upazila2497819.73%
Ramgarh Upazila1163619.16%
Manikchhari Upazila781710.15%
Dighinala Upazila108679.41%
Mahalchhari Upazila34026.93%
Lakshmichhari Upazila5612.07%

Christianity

According to 2022 census, Christianity is the fourth largest religion in Khagrachhari district.
UpazilaPopulationPercentage of Christian
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila2,3801.75%
Panchhari Upazila3410.50%
Matiranga Upazila5360.42%
Mahalchhari Upazila2000.41%
Ramgarh Upazila2480.41%
Dighinala Upazila3800.33%
Manikchhari Upazila2210.29%
Lakshmichhari Upazila360.13%
Guimara Upazila650.12%

Subdivisions

Upazilas under this district are:
  1. Dighinala Upazila
  2. Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila
  3. Lakshmichhari Upazila
  4. Mahalchhari Upazila
  5. Manikchhari Upazila
  6. Matiranga Upazila
  7. Panchhari Upazila
  8. Ramgarh Upazila
  9. Guimara Upazila

Administration

Khagrachhari district consist of 3 Paurashava, 9 Upazila/Thana, 38 Union, 122 Mauza, 27 Ward, 153 Mahalla and 1,702 Villages. The upazilas are Dighinala, Khagrachhari Sadar,
Lakshmichhari, Mahalchhari, Manikchhari, Matiranga, Panchhari, Ramgarh and Guimara.
Deputy Commissioner : Md. Shahiduzzaman
Chairman of Hill District Council: Mr. Kongjari Chowdhury

Economy

Most of the people live on Jhum cultivation. There are also people of various professions like teacher, farmer and businessmen. Tourism is becoming a strong income source for the local.
Main sources of income Agriculture 59.92%, non-agricultural labourer 9.33%, industry 0.44%, commerce 10.67%, transport and communication 1.11%, service 7.94%, construction 0.92%, religious service 0.24%, rent and remittance 0.37% and others 9.06%.

Education

Rate of school going student is 44.07%. There are 18 colleges, 71 high schools, 13 madrasa and different kinds of educational institutions.
Noted educational institutions:
  • Khagrachhari Government College
  • Matiranga Degree College
  • Tabalchari Greenhill College
  • Ramgarh Government Degree College
  • Panchhari College
  • Dighinala Government College
  • Khagrachhri Cantonmet public school and college,
  • Panchhari High School and College
  • Khagrachhari Government High School
  • Tabalchhari Kadamtoli High School
  • Matiranga Pailot High school
  • Gomti B.K High school
  • Santipur High School
  • Amtoli High school
  • Taindong High School
  • Matiranga Girls High School
  • Khadachora High School
  • Bornal Moktizodha High School
  • Matiranga Reacidencial High School
  • Ramgarh Government High School
  • Rani Nihar Devi Government High School
  • Dighinala Government High School
  • Choto Merung High School
  • Thakurchara High School
  • Khagrachhari North Khobongpodia Government Primary School

Archaeological heritage and relics

Among the archaeological heritages and relics, Rajbari of the Mong Circle and Dighi of Dighinala are notable.

Transport

Palanquin, elephant cart, buffalo cart, horse carriage, bullock cart and country boat were the traditional transports once found in the rural area of the zila. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct except country boat. Now-a-days, all the upazilas are connected to the zila headquarters by metalled roads. Bus, minibus, three wheelers, pickup van ply over the zila. Chander Gari is a popular transport used to ply in the hill area of the zila.

Climate

Temperature and Rainfall: The annual average temperature of the zila varies from maximum 34.6 °C to minimum 13 °C and the average annual rainfall is 3031 mm.

Notable persons