Chittagong Division is one of the six administrative divisions of Bangladesh. It covers the most southern areas of the country and is also the second largest one. Overview: Area: 33,771 sq kilometers; Population: 23,999,345; Capital: Chittagong; Literacy Rate:. Important resources in the area include agricultural products, amenities, and labor. The chief agricultural products of the Chittagong region are paddy, betel leaf, potato, cotton, tea, peanut, mustard, patol (heap), brinjal, ginger, bean and other vegetables. The area also provides substantial amount of the nation's fruits including but not limited to mango, jackfruit, pineapple guava, coconut, betel nut, litchi, banana, papaya, water melon and lemon. Agriculture provides 57% of the division's revenues. Another important resource of the division is the production of hydroelectric power dams. These dams provide almost all of the country's power supply. The fast streams of the river Karnafuli is used to run the motors of the hydroelectric power dam. However, being a land of low elevation, the dams do not provide adequate power for the 131 million people of Bangladesh. 32.08%
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 34.3 °C and lowest 12.7 °C. Total annual rainfall is 2551 mm. The main rivers of the district are the Meghna River, and the Titas River.
Culture
Brahmanbaria town has a rich tradition of the cultivation of art, education and culture. It is often figuralily called the cultural capital of Bangladesh. To the field of literature the contributions of Adyta Mallavarman, Jotirindra Nandi, Abdul Kadir and Al Mahmud are remarkable. The Town also represents a rich tradition of the cultivation of music. Ustad Ayet Ali Khan established the Alauddin Music College in 1957 and Shilpacharya Joinul Abedin established the Alauddin Sangitayan in 1975. Those who contributed to the development of music in Brahmanbaria town mention may be made of Ustad Fakir (Tapas) Aftab Uddin Khan, Ustad Alauddin 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, Ustad Subal Das and Ustad Afjalur Rahman.
History
Historical events Brahmanbaria was a part of samatata Janapada of the ancient Bengal. The first and temporary capital of isa khan was at Sarail 10 km on the north of Brahmanbaria Town. When the swadeshi movement began in the wake of the partition of Bengal (1905), revolutionary Ullaskar Datta (Aviram) was convicted for throwing bomb explosion 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 gun shot. During the peasant movement in 1930 Congress leader Abdul Hakim asked the peasant to stop payment of taxes. During the no-rent movement four civilians were killed when the British soldiers indiscriminately fired on civilians. During the War of Liberation Bir Srestha mohammad mostafa kamal was killed in an encounter at Daruin of Akhaura.
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 treble 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. Value of land The market value of the land of the first grade is 7500 Taka per 100 m². Main crops Paddy, jute, wheat, mustard seed, potato, onion, garlic, chilli, pulses, brinjal, kakrol and patal. Kakrol produced in Mukundopur of this district deserves special mention. Extinct or nearly extinct crops Linseed, sesame, tobacco, Chaplaish and Kataktara varieties of paddy, arahar and kaun. Main fruits Mango, jackfruit, black berry, papaya, coconut, guava, olive, lemon, litchi, bilimbi and banana. Fisheries, dairies, poultries Poultry 83, fishery 64, dairy 61, hatchery 43, nursery 17 and artificial breeding centre 1. Communication facilities Roads: pucca 266 km, semi pucca 86 km and mud road 1629 km; waterways 131 nautical mile; railways 71 km. Traditional transport Palanquin, horse carriage and bullock cart. These means of transport are either extinct or nearly extinct. Manufactories Fertiliser factory, flour mill, rice mill, ice factory, oil mill, saw mill, welding, etc. Cottage industries Brahmanbaria district is famous for the production of cotton fabrics. In the nineteenth century Tanjeb, 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 Champanagar. Other cottage industries include weaving, such bamboo work, cane work, handicraft, goldsmith, blacksmith, wood work, potteries and tailoring.
