Khagrachhari District

Khagrachhari District (Bengali: খাগড়াছড়ি জেলা), officially Khagrachhari Hill District, is a district in the Chittagong Division of Southeastern Bangladesh. It is a part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.

Khagrachhari Hill District খাগড়াছড়ি পার্বত্য জেলা
District of Bangladesh
View of Konglak Hill, Khagrachhari
Nickname(s):  প্রাকৃতিক সৌন্দর্যের রাণী ("The Queen of Natural Beauty") উপত্যকার শহর ("The City of Valleys")
Motto(s):  বৈচিত্র্যে সৌন্দর্য ("Beauty in Diversity")
Location of Khagrachari District within Bangladesh
Expandable map of Khagrachari District
Coordinates: 23.0417°N 91.9944°E / 23.0417; 91.9944
Country	Bangladesh
Division	Chittagong Division
Capital	Khagrachhari
Government
• Type	District Council
• Body	Khagrachhari Hill District Council
• District Council Chairman	Mongsui Pru Chowdhury[1]
• Deputy Commissioner	Protap Chandra Biswas[2]
• Chief Executive Officer	Md. Nuruzzaman[3]
Area
• Total	2,749.16 km2 (1,061.46 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[4]
• Total	714,119
• Density	260/km2 (670/sq mi)
Demonym	Khagrasoria
Time zone	UTC+06:00 (BST)
Postal code	4400
Area code	0371
ISO 3166 code	BD-29
HDI (2018)	0.593[5] medium · 14th of 21
Website	www.khagrachari.gov.bd

Etymology

The zila headquarters is located on the bank of the Chengi river (meaning Chhara in local language) which was full of Catkin plants (meaning Khagra in local language). 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 'Peace Accord' this council was renamed as “Khagrachari Hill District Council (KHDC)” 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

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1974	188,975	—
1981	278,461	+5.69%
1991	342,488	+2.09%
2001	525,664	+4.38%
2011	613,917	+1.56%
2022	714,119	+1.38%
Sources:[6][7]

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 (20.30%) 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 km.².

As per the 2022 Census, there were a total of 349,390 (48.93%) 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.^[8]

Ethnicity in Khagrachhari district (2022)^[9][8]

1. Bengali (51.07%)
2. Chakma (24.53%)
3. Tripura (13.79%)
4. Marma (10.38%)
5. Others (0.21%)

Bengali in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Bengalis are the largest group in Khagrachhari District (51.07%).

They are largest ethnic group in Matiranga Upazila (76.10%), Manikchhari Upazila (73.57%), Ramgarh Upazila (73.14%) and Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila (40.77%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Bengali [9][10]
Matiranga Upazila	96,352	76.10%
Manikchhari Upazila	56,670	73.57%
Ramgarh Upazila	44,424	73.14%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	55,505	40.77%
Dighinala Upazila	45,020	39.00%
Mahalchhari Upazila	18,133	36.95%
Guimara Upazila	18,955	35.59%
Panchhari Upazila	22,678	33.02%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	6,992	25.76%

Chakma in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Chakmas are the largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District(24.53%).

They are the largest ethnic group in Dighinala Upazila (53.38%), Lakshmichhari Upazila(51.33%), Panchhari Upazila (44.04%) and Mahalchhari Upazila (43.52%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Chakma[9][10]
Dighinala Upazila	61,618	53.38%
Lakshmichhari Upazila,	13,936	51.33%
Panchhari Upazila	30,270	44.04%
Mahalchhari Upazila	21,357	43.52%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	36,937	27.13%
Guimara Upazila	3,927	7.37%
Matiranga Upazila	3,950	3.12%
Ramgarh Upazila	1,681	2.77%
Manikchhari Upazila	1,489	1.93%

Tripura in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Tripuras are second largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District(13.79%).

They are the second largest ethnic group in Matiranga Upazila (18.68%) and Ramgarh Upazila (13.28%)

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Tripura [9][10]
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	28,576	20.99%
Panchhari Upazila	13,295	19.36%
Guimara Upazila	10,007	18.79%
Matiranga Upazila	23,647	18.68%
Ramgarh Upazila	8,065	13.28%
Dighinala Upazila	8,523	7.38%
Manikchhari Upazila	4,313	5.60%
Mahalchhari Upazila	1,948	3.97%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	126	0.46%

Marma in Khagrachhari

According to 2022 census, Marmas are third largest indigenous group in Khagrachhari District (10.39%).

They are the largest indigenous group in Guimara Upazila (38.10%) and second largest in Manikchhari Upazila (18.73%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Marma [9][10]
Guimara Upazila	20,293	38.10%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	5,924	21.82%
Manikchhari Upazila	14,431	18.73%
Mahalchhari Upazila	7,487	15.25%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	14,792	10.86%
Ramgarh Upazila	6,446	10.61%
Panchhari Upazila	2,143	3.12%
Matiranga Upazila	2,621	2.07%
Dighinala Upazila	73	0.06%

Religion

Religion in the Khagrachhari (2022)^[9][11]

1. Islam (46.59%)
2. Buddhism (35.93%)
3. Hinduism (16.76%)
4. Christianity (0.62%)
5. Other (0.1%)

Religion	1941[12]: 104–105 [a]		1981[7]		1991[7]		2001[7]		2011[7]		2022[13]
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Tribal[b]	73,324	96.26%	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Islam	712	0.94%	89,630	32.19%	162,504	47.44%	228,753	43.52%	274,258	44.18%	332,687	46.59%
Buddhism	—	—	139,166	49.98%	121,631	35.51%	206,473	39.28%	231,309	37.68%	256,600	35.93%
Hinduism	26,907	6.78%	48,160	17.30%	57,158	16.69%	86,351	16.43%	103,195	16.81%	119,706	16.76%
Christianity	0	0%	637	0.23%	939	0.27%	3745	0.71%	4,070	0.66%	4,407	0.62%
Others[c]	207	0.27%	868	0.30%	256	0.09%	342	0.06%	1,085	0.18%	719	0.10%
Total Population	76,171	100%	278,461	100%	342,488	100%	525,664	100%	613,917	100%	714,119	100%

Islam

According to 2022 census, Islam is the largest religion in Khagrachhari district(46.59%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Islam[10]
Matiranga Upazila	93,618	73.94%
Manikchhari Upazila	52,387	68.02%
Ramgarh Upazila	39,775	65.48%
Dighinala Upazila	41,217	35.70%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	47,620	34.98%
Mahalchhari Upazila	15,186	30.94%
Panchhari Upazila	21,141	30.78%
Guimara Upazila	16,295	30.60%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	5,448	20.07%

Buddhism

According to 2022 census, Buddhism is the second largest in Khagrachhari District(35.93%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Buddhism[10]
Lakshmichhari Upazila,	21,103	77.73%
Mahalchhari Upazila	30,267	61.67%
Dighinala Upazila	62,960	54.54%
Panchhari Upazila	32,452	47.25%
Guimara Upazila	24,894	46.74%
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	52,412	38.50%
Manikchhari Upazila	16,557	21.50%
Ramgarh Upazila	8,887	14.63%
Matiranga Upazila	7,068	5.58%

Hinduism

According to 2022 census, Hinduism is third largest religion in Khagrachhari district(16.76%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Hinduism [9][10]
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	33713	24.76%
Guimara Upazila	11991	22.51%
Panchhari Upazila	14741	21.46%
Matiranga Upazila	24978	19.73%
Ramgarh Upazila	11636	19.16%
Manikchhari Upazila	7817	10.15%
Dighinala Upazila	10867	9.41%
Mahalchhari Upazila	3402	6.93%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	561	2.07%

Christianity

According to 2022 census, Christianity is the fourth largest religion in Khagrachhari district(0.62%).

Upazila	Population	Percentage of Christian [9][10]
Khagrachhari Sadar Upazila	2,380	1.75%
Panchhari Upazila	341	0.50%
Matiranga Upazila	536	0.42%
Mahalchhari Upazila	200	0.41%
Ramgarh Upazila	248	0.41%
Dighinala Upazila	380	0.33%
Manikchhari Upazila	221	0.29%
Lakshmichhari Upazila	36	0.13%
Guimara Upazila	65	0.12%

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^[14]

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 (DC): Md. Shahiduzzaman^[15]

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%.^[16]

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 (1974)
• Matiranga Degree College (1992)
• Tabalchari Greenhill College (2009)
• Ramgarh Government Degree College (1980)
• Panchhari College (1990)
• Dighinala Government College
• Khagrachhri Cantonmet public school and college (2006),
• Panchhari High School and College (1981)
• Khagrachhari Government High School (1957)
• Tabalchhari Kadamtoli High School (1952)
• 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 (1952)
• Rani Nihar Devi Government High School (1976)
• Dighinala Government High School
• Choto Merung High School (1975)
• Thakurchara High School (1979)
• Khagrachhari North Khobongpodia Government Primary School (1905)^[17][18]

^[19]

Archaeological heritage and relics

Among the archaeological heritages and relics, Rajbari of the Mong Circle and Dighi (large pond) of Dighinala (excavated by Gobinda Manikya Bahadur exiled king of Tripura) are notable.^[20]

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 (local four wheeled jeep) is a popular transport used to ply in the hill area of the zila.^[20]

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.

Member of Parliament

Election	Member	Party
1986	A. K. M. Alim Ullah		Jatiya Party (Ershad)
1988			Jatiya Party (Ershad)
1991	Kalparanjan Chakma		Bangladesh Awami League
1996			Bangladesh Awami League
2001	Wadud Bhuiyan		Bangladesh Nationalist Party
2008	Jotindra Lal Tripura		Bangladesh Awami League
2014	Kujendra Lal Tripura		Bangladesh Awami League
2018			Bangladesh Awami League
2024			Bangladesh Awami League[21]

Notable persons

• A. K. M. Alim Ullah
• Wadud Bhuiyan
• Mong Sui Thowai Chowdhury
• Kujendra Lal Tripura
• Jotindra Lal Tripura
• Birendra Kishore Roaza
• Kalparanjan Chakma
• Upendra Lal Chakma
• Monika Chakma
• Basanti Chakma
• Supradip Chakma
• Aungmraching Marma
• Anai Mogini
• Anuching Mogini

See also

• Alutila Cave
• Matai Hakor
• Matai Pukhiri
• Tuari Mairang
• Mayung Kopal
• Palashpur
• Districts of Bangladesh
• Tripuri people
• Chakma people
• Marma people

Notes

1. Ramgarh subdivision and Dighinala thana of erstwhile Chittagong Hill Tracts district, which roughly corresponds to the present district. District and tehsil borders have shifted since 1941.
2. 'Tribal' was used as a blanket term for religious traditions of all tribes, and many of these tribes followed a more mainstream religion.
3. Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated