Rangamati Hill District রাঙামাটি পার্বত্য জেলা | |
|---|---|
 View of theSajek Valley | |
| Motto: বাংলাদেশ চিরজীবী হোক | |
 Location of Rangamati District within Bangladesh | |
 Expandable map of Rangamati District | |
| Coordinates:22°38′N92°12′E / 22.633°N 92.200°E /22.633; 92.200 | |
| Country |  Bangladesh |
| Division | Chittagong Division |
| Capital | Rangamati |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Council |
| • Body | Rangamati Hill District Council |
| • District Council Chairman | Aung Sui Pru Chowdhury |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Mohammad Mizanur Rahman |
| • Chief Executive Officer | S. M. Zakir Hossain[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,116.11 km2 (2,361.44 sq mi) |
| • Land | 4,824.63 km2 (1,862.80 sq mi) |
| • Water | 1,291.5 km2 (498.7 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 1 (LargestDistrict of Bangladesh) |
| Elevation | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 647,586 |
| • Rank | 62 (Among 64) |
| • Density | 134.225/km2 (347.641/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+6 (BST) |
| Postal Code | 4500 |
| Area code | 0351 |
| ISO 3166 code | BD-56 |
| HDI (2018) | 0.593[4] medium ·14th of 21 |
| Website | www |
| Population & Area related info taken fromরাঙ্গামাটি জেলা তথ্য বাতায়নে আপনাকে স্বাগতম [Welcome to the Rangamati district portal].Deputy Commissioner Rangamati (in Bengali). Archived fromthe original on 17 January 2013. | |
Rangamati District (Bengali:রাঙ্গামাটি জেলা), officiallyRangamati Hill District, is a district in south-easternChittagong Hill Tract ofBangladesh. It is a part of theChattogram Division,[5] and the town ofRangamati known as the capital ofChittagong Hill Tracts. By area, Rangamati is the largest district of the country.
Rangamati is located in theChittagong Division. It is bordered by theTripura state of India to the north,Bandarban District to the south,Mizoram State of India andChin State ofMyanmar to the east, andKhagrachari andChittagong Districts to the west. Rangamati is the only district in Bangladesh with international borders with two countries: India and Myanmar.
The area of the district is 6,116 km2 of which 1,292 km2 is riverine and 4,825 km2 is under forest vegetation.
Rangamati was a contesting ground for the kings ofTripura andArakan. This region was ruled by theMughal Empire after the Muslim conquest in 1566.[6] In 1737, Sher Mosta Khan, a tribal leader, took refuge with theMughals. Subsequently, theChakma settlement began along with various other settlements of varying ethnicity.[6] From 1760 to 1761, the area was leased to theEast India Company.[6]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 202,798 | — |
| 1981 | 301,753 | +5.84% |
| 1991 | 401,388 | +2.89% |
| 2001 | 508,182 | +2.39% |
| 2011 | 595,979 | +1.61% |
| 2022 | 647,586 | +0.76% |
| Sources:[3][7] | ||
According to the2022 Census of Bangladesh, Rangamati Hill District had 153,482 households and a population of 647,586 with an average 4.15 people per household. Among the population, 119,027 (18.38%) inhabitants were under 10 years of age. The population density was 106 people per km2. The literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 71.41%, compared to the national average of 74.80%.The sex ratio of the district was at 106 males per 100 females. Approximately, 47.56% of the population lived in urban areas.[8][3]
According to the 2022 census, there were a total of 372,875 (57.58%) tribal people in the district. The population of major ethnic minorities areChakma 276,048,Marma 51,403,Tanchangya 27,975,Tripura 12,300,Khyang 1,670, andPankhu 1,398.[8]
| Upazila | Bengali | Chakma | Marma | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 28.2 % | 66.2% | 0.08% | 5.52% |
| Barkal Upazila | 29.0 % | 69.3 % | 0.88% | 0.82% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 15.9% | 26.7% | 8.97% | 48.43% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 4.65% | 91.2% | 0.28% | 3.87% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 55.7% | 2.25% | 28.6% | 13.45% |
| Kawkhali Upazila | 44.9% | 25.9% | 27.9% | 1.3% |
| Langadu Upazila | 76.5% | 23.1% | 0.01% | 0.39% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 18.3% | 79.9 % | 1.74% | 0.06% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 32.3 % | 0.97% | 36.6% | 30.13% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 52.3% | 41.2% | 1.89% | 4.61% |
🟩 Bengali majority 🟨 Chakma majority 🟦 Marma majority 🟪 Tanchangya majority
According to the 2022 census,Bengalis are the second largest ethnic group inRangamati Hill District (42.42%), nearly as numerous asChakma people (42.63%).
They are largest ethnic group inLangadu Upazila (76.50%),Kaptai Upazila (55.71%),Rangamati Sadar Upazila (52.33%) andKaukhali Upazila (44.88%).[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Bengalis[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Langadu Upazila | 69,160 | 76.50% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 30,867 | 55.71% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 76,718 | 52.33% |
| Kawkhali Upazila | 29,763 | 44.88% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 9,009 | 32.33% |
| Barkal Upazila | 14,393 | 28.96% |
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 29,998 | 28.22% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 8,864 | 18.27% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 4,688 | 15.87% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 1,251 | 4.65% |
According to the 2022 census,Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in Rangamati District (42.63%).
They are the largest ethnic group inJuraichhari Upazila (91.15%),Naniarchar Upazila (79.89%),Barkal Upazila (69.33%) andBagaichhari Upazila (66.19%).[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Chakmas[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Juraichhari Upazila | 24,548 | 91.15% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 38,766 | 79.89% |
| Barkal Upazila | 34,462 | 69.33% |
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 70,350 | 66.19% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 60,449 | 41.23% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 7,882 | 26.68% |
| Kawkhali Upazila | 17,188 | 25.92% |
| Langadu Upazila | 20,188 | 23.10% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 1,246 | 2.25% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 269 | 0.97% |
According to the 2022 census,Marmas are third largest ethnic group in Rangamati District (7.93%).
They are the largest ethnic group inRajasthali Upazila (36.65%) and second largest inKaptai Upazila (28.59%) andKawkhali Upazila (27.86%).[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Marmas[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthali Upazila | 10,213 | 36.65% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 15,844 | 28.59% |
| Kawkhali Upazila | 18,477 | 27.86% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 2,650 | 8.97% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 2,765 | 1.89% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 842 | 1.74% |
| Barkal Upazila | 436 | 0.88% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 75 | 0.28% |
| Baghaichhari Upazila | 89 | 0.08% |
| Langadu Upazila | 12 | 0.01% |
According to the 2022 census,Tanchangyas are the fourth largest ethnic group in Rangamati District (4.32%).
They are the largest ethnic group inBelaichhari Upazila (38.77%).[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Tanchangya[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Belaichhari Upazila | 11,452 | 38.77% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 4,542 | 16.30% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 6,881 | 12.42% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 858 | 3.33% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 3,488 | 2.38% |
| Kaukhali Upazila | 677 | 1.02% |
| Others | <100 | <1% |
According to the 2022 census,Tripuras are the fifth largest ethnic group in Rangamati District (1.90%).[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Tripuras[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthali Upazila | 2,273 | 8.16% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 1,796 | 6.08% |
| Baghaichhari Upazila | 5,457 | 5.13% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 2,206 | 1.50% |
| Others | <1% |
According to the 2022 census, there are 1,670 kyang in Rangamati District.[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Khyangs[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthali Upazila | 1,420 | 5.09% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 177 | 0.32% |
| Others | <100 |
According to the 2022 census, there are 1,398 Phankos live in Rangamati District.[8]
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Phankos[8] |
|---|---|---|
| Belaichhari Upazila | 498 | 1.69% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 228 | 0.15% |
| Barkal Upazila | 208 | 0.42% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 143 | 0.26% |
| Baghaichhari Upazila | 117 | 0.11% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 116 | 0.43% |
| Others | <100 |
Rangamati is the only Buddhist majority district of Bangladesh. But, Two municipalities of Rangamati district, bothRangamati andBaghaichhari have Muslim majority. Moreover,Langadu Upazila has Muslim majority andKaptai Upazila has muslim plurality.Rangamati Sadar Upazila has Buddhist plurality and others have Buddhist majority.
| Religion | Population (1941)[11]: 104–105 | Percentage (1941) | Population (2022) | Percentage (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribal[b] | 102,275 | 93.21% | N/A | N/A |
Islam | 3,963 | 3.62% | 234,834 | 36.26% |
Hinduism | 2,584 | 2.35% | 33,112 | 5.11% |
Christianity | 60 | 0.06% | 8,547 | 1.32% |
Buddhism.svg) | 565 | 0.51% | 370,793 | 57.26% |
| Others[c] | 279 | 0.25% | 300 | 0.05% |
| Total Population | 109,726 | 100% | 647,586 | 100% |
As per 1991 census, the Religious institutions in district include Pagoda 1230, Mosque 1059, Temple 65, Church 16. Genderwise, male constituted 53.59% and female constituted 46.41% of the population.[12]
| Upazila | Muslim | Buddhist | Christian | Hindu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 24.74 % | 67.99% | 0.57% | 6.67 % |
| Barkal Upazila | 22.74 % | 75.81 % | 0.55% | 0.87% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 10.62% | 78.21% | 9.60% | 1.24% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 3.26% | 95.60% | 0.52% | 0.63% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 47.37% | 45.35% | 1.02% | 6.23% |
| Kawkhali Upazila | 40.05% | 56.76% | 0.08% | 3.09% |
| Langadu Upazila | 74.62 % | 23.74% | 0.40% | 1.23% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 14.85% | 83.18 % | 0.08% | 1.87% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 21.92 % | 58.48% | 10.83% | 8.77% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 40.69% | 48.50% | 0.45% | 10.29% |
According to 2022 census, Buddhism is the largest religion inRangamati Hill District (57.25%).
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Buddhism[13] |
|---|---|---|
| Juraichhari Upazila | 25,747 | 95.60% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 40,362 | 83.18% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 23,104 | 78.21% |
| Barkal Upazila | 37,686 | 75.81% |
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 72,267 | 67.99% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 16,294 | 58.48% |
| Kaukhali Upazila | 37,641 | 56.76% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 71,100 | 48.50% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 25,131 | 45.35% |
| Langadu Upazila | 21,461 | 23.74% |
According to 2022 census, Islam is the second largest inRangamati district(36.26%).
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Islam[13] |
|---|---|---|
| Langadu Upazila | 67,465 | 74.62% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 26,245 | 47.37% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 59,645 | 40.69% |
| Kaukhali Upazila | 26,561 | 40.05% |
| Bagaichhari Upazila | 26,291 | 24.74% |
| Barkal Upazila | 11,305 | 22.74% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 6,107 | 21.92% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 7,201 | 14.84% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 3,137 | 10.62% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 877 | 3.26% |
According to 2022 census, Hinduism is third largest religion inRangamati district(5.11%).
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Hinduism[14][13] |
|---|---|---|
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 15,086 | 10.29% |
| Rajasthali Upazila | 2445 | 8.77% |
| Baghaichhari Upazila | 7,089 | 6.67% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 3,452 | 6.23% |
| Kaukhali Upazila | 2,051 | 3.09% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 906 | 1.87% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 367 | 1.24% |
| Langadu Upazila | 1,113 | 1.23% |
| Barkal Upazila | 434 | 0.87% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 169 | 0.63% |
According to 2022 census, Christianity is fourth largest religion inRangamati district(1.32%).
| Upazila | Population | Percentage of Christianity[15] |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthali Upazila | 3,017 | 10.83% |
| Belaichhari Upazila | 2,837 | 9.60% |
| Kaptai Upazila | 564 | 1.02% |
| Baghaichhari Upazila | 604 | 0.57% |
| Barkal Upazila | 272 | 0.55% |
| Juraichhari Upazila | 139 | 0.52% |
| Rangamati Sadar Upazila | 657 | 0.45% |
| Langadu Upazila | 361 | 0.40% |
| Kaukhali Upazila | 55 | 0.08% |
| Naniarchar Upazila | 41 | 0.08% |
District Administration is the apex office of a district at the present context of administrative setting of Bangladesh. It is the management of affairs within a district, which is the basic territorial unit of administration in the country. It is at this level that the common man comes into direct contact with the administration. The district falls under the charge of a district officer, called either Deputy Commissioner or District Collector or District Magistrate. This officer acts as the representative of the central government at this level. Like other district administrations of the country, District Administration Rangamati, widely known as the Office of the deputy commissioner is the representative of the cabinet in the Rangamati Hill District.
There are 291 government primary schools, 120 non-government primary schools, 22 junior schools, 6 government high schools, 45 non-government high schools, 2 government colleges, 13 non-government colleges, 61 madrasa, 7 technical schools,Rangamati Medical College andRangamati Science and Technology University located throughout the district.
The district of Rangamati consists of 10 upazilas, 2 municipality (18 wards), 50 union parishads, 162 mouzas and 1347 villages.
The economy of Rangamati is hugely dependent on agriculture with a total of 41.94% of the population employed there. Other occupational percentages are: agricultural labourer 12.06%, wage labourer 4.95%, commerce 8.22%, service 13.04%, fishing 2.02%, industry 4.57%, forestry 3.2% and others 10%. A grand total of 12275 hectares of land is used for cultivation, producing food and non-food crops such as rice, potato, corn, mustard seed, cotton and jute among others. Fruits such as mango, jackfruit, banana, pineapple, litchi, black berry are also grown in Rangmati.
Notable cottage industries of Rangamati are weaving, blacksmithing and wood work. Weaving is particularly famous for their woolen and jute rugs and hand loom cloth. Major industries include Chandraghona paper and rayon mill, Plywood Factory, Ghagra Textile and a Satellite Station at Betbunia amongst many others, producing and exporting goods.[6]
Kaptai Lake is a man made lake in south-eastern Bangladesh. It is located in the Kaptai Upazila under Rangamati District of Chittagong Division. The lake was created as a result of building the Kaptai Dam on theKarnaphuli River, as part of the Karnaphuli Hydro-electric project. The Kaptai Lake's average depth is 100 feet (30 m) and maximum depth is 490 feet (150 m). This lake was developed by inundating valleys and plain lands between the many hills.
In Bengali the name of the Hanging Bridge is Jhulonto Bridge and this is also popular to its visitors. This hanging bridge is established on Kaptai Lake. This is the link way of Kaptai Lake. The total height of this bridge is 335 feet and is the landmark icon of Rangamati.[17]
Kaptai National Park cascades between the Karnaphuly and Kaptai Mountain assortments. It was conventional in 1999 and its area is 5,464.78 hectares (13,503.8 acres). Prior to announcement of the national park it was Sitapahar Reserve. It is about 57 kilometre from Chittagong city. In this park one can find plenty of old trees which were planted in 1873. In Kaptai National Park, there is various wildlife such as deer, jungle cat, elephant, monkey, etc. Many species of birds may also be of interest to tourists and bird lovers. Kaptai National Park is a safe and sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. The Forest Division founded picnic spots, and restaurants in this park.[18]
Shuvolong a place in Barkol sub district, located about 25 kilometres (11 kilometres as the crow flies) away from Rangamati town. There are few waterfalls in Shuvolong area with the largest one falling from as high as 300 feet. In the past several years, this place has turned into a tourist destination due to its waterfalls and nearby market. Shuvolong is accessible by speed boat or motor boats from Rangamati.[19]
Sajek is a union at Baghaichari Upazila in Rangamati districts. Basically it is name of a river which separates Bangladesh from India. The river flows into the Karnafuli River in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.Sajek Valley is situated in the North angle of Rangamati, near the Mizoram border boundary area. The valley is 1,800 ft high form sea level. Many small rivers flow through the hills – including the rivers Kachalon and Machalong. The main ethnic minorities on the valley are Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Pankua, Lushai. Marishsha is a name of a place near Sajek Valley. Most of the houses are made with bamboo. There is another place near Sajek, it is Kanlak, and it is known for its orange orchard.[citation needed]
Most attractions of the spot are sun set, rain, morning, evening, and night and aborigine people. Tourists can buy indigenous peoples' products from haat (markets). Roads are like big snake spirals on the mountains. Most of the people are Buddhist and others are Christian here. A new road has been built up to the Ruilui Para by the guidance of Bangladesh army. On the way traveller need to take permission from the army camp. Bangladesh army is very helpful and cooperative. Now mobile network is available here. The valley is in Rangamati but tourists can reach there from Khagrachhari, too. The route is Khagrachhori – Dighinala Bazaar – Bagaihat Bazaar – Machalong Haat – then Sajek. It is 62 km from Khagrachhari. Dighinala to Sajek is 40 km. Main transportation is Chander Gari.[20][21]
There is another one tourist destination which is popular among tourists named "Konglak Haphong" which is the highest peak of the Sajek Valley.[22]
| Upazilas/thanas |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Barisal Division |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chittagong Division | ||
| Dhaka Division | ||
| Khulna Division | ||
| Mymensingh Division | ||
| Rajshahi Division | ||
| Rangpur Division | ||
| Sylhet Division | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
