Barguna is a district in South-western Bangladesh. It is a part of the Barisal Division.

Geography

Barguna district has a total area of 1831.31 sq km. It is bounded on the north by the districts of Jhalkathi, Barisal, Pirojpur and Patuakhali. On the east, it borders Patuakhali District. On the south, Barguna is bounded by Patuakhali District, the Bay of Bengal. Finally, on the western side, Barguna borders Pirojpur and Bagerhat districts. Important rivers of Barguna district include the Payra river, Bishkhali river and the Baleshwar river.

Subdivisions

Barguna is divided into 5 upazilas: Barguna Sadar, Amtali, Patharghata, Betagi and Bamna. There are a total of 38 union parishads (union council), 238 mouzas and 560 villages in these 5 upazilas. Barguna also has 4 municipalities which contain 44 wards and 49 mahallas. The largest city of the district is Barguna Town. It has a total area of 15.57 square Km and is divided into 9 wards and 19 mahallas.

History

During the British rule, a police station was set up at Barguna in the 18th century. It was a part of the greater Barisal District at that time. Later, during the end of the Pakistani period, it was elevated to a sub-division in 1969. In 1984, it was upgraded to a full district.

Economy

Barguna's economy is mainly agriculture dependent. The main crops include Rice and Pulses. In the past, there were Jute cultivation, but gradually it lost poplularity as a cash crop. Being a coastal district, Barguna has a thriving fishing industry. The main produce of the district include Betel leaf, pulses, Banana, Betel nut, Molasses and Shrimp. There is a small manufacturing industry that involves mostly rice mills, saw mill, soap factory, flour mill, ice factory and pen factory. Traditional cottage industries like weaving, bamboo and cane art work, goldsmith, blacksmith, potteries, wood work, tailoring also thrive in the rural areas.