Jhalokati District

District in Barisal, Bangladesh

Jhalokati, also spelled Jhalokathi, (Bengali: ঝালকাঠি) is a district in southern Bangladesh.^[3] It is located in the Barisal Division and covers an area of 758.06 km² It is bounded by Barisal district to the north, Barguna district to the east and the Bishkhali river in the south, and Pirojpur district to the west. The main rivers in this district are the Bishkhali, Dhanshiri, Gabkhan, Sugandha, Jangalia, Bamanda and Bajitpur. "পেয়ারা আর শীতলপাটি, এই নিয়ে ঝালকাঠি" "(Jhalokathi, The land of tasty Guava and Shitolpati)" is the official motto of the district.^[4]

History

Jhalokati subdivision was established in 1972, shortly after the Liberation of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh and was turned into a district in 1984^[5]. The 2021 Bangladesh ferry fire occurred on the Sugandha River near the town.^[6]

Subdivisions

The district is administratively subdivided into 4 upazilas, these are:

1. Jhalokati Sadar Upazila
2. Kathalia Upazila
3. Nalchity Upazila
4. Rajapur Upazila

Administration

Zilla Parishad Chairman/Administrator: Khan Saifullah Panir (খান সাইফুল্লাহ পনির) ^[7]

Deputy Commissioner (DC): Md. Johar Ali ^[8][9]

Transportation

• Roads & Highways: The district is connected to nearby districts such as Barisal and Pirojpur through regional roads. Local buses are readily available for these destinations. One can also go to Dhaka and other places in the country through the N8 Highway.
• Rural communications: Water transport is a major attraction in Jhalokati district. People can travel at a cheap cost by boats and various types of engine boats. Jhalokati is famous for its beautiful rivers and canals. Tourists can find it enjoyable to travel through boats.

Population

According to the 2022 Census of Bangladesh, Jhalokati District had 162,401 households and a population of 661,160. 121,894 (18.44%) were under 10 years of age. The population density was 935 people per km². Jhalokati district had a literacy rate (age 7 and over) of 83.21%, compared to the national average of 74.80%, and a sex ratio of 1088 females per 1000 males. 27.85% of the population lived in urban areas.^[1]

Religion

A large majority of the district population is Muslim. It has 2475 mosques, 46 Hindu temples and five Buddhist pagodas. The percentage share of minority Hindus and Christians has seen a decline in absolute numbers since the 1981 census.

Most of the local residents speak a native dialect of Bengali, known by fellow countrymen as "Barishailla".

Notable personalities

• Maqsudullah, Islamic scholar and first Pir of Talgachhia
• Nachiketa Chakraborty, famous Tollywood singer's family hails from Chechri Rampur village in Kathalia Upazila^[12]
• Kabir Ahmed, former international footballer who played for the Pakistan national football team

See also

• Districts of Bangladesh
• Barisal Division

Notes

1. Nalchiti, Jhalokati, Rajapur and Kathalia thanas of Bakerganj district
2. Including Jainism, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated

References

1. Population and Housing Census 2022 National Report (PDF). Vol. 1. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. November 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
2. "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
3. Rahman, Humayun (2012). "Jhalokati District". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
4. ছবিতে জেলা ব্র্যান্ডিং [District Branding]. Jhalokati District (in Bengali).
5. "LGED - Jhalokathi".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
6. "Bangladesh: Death toll rises to 41 in ferry fire on Sugandha River". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
7. "ভোট ছাড়াই চেয়ারম্যান হচ্ছেন ১৯ জন". Jugantor. 16 September 2022.
8. "List of Deputy Commissioners". Ministry of Public Administration.
9. "Officers: Deputy Commissioner's Office".
10. "Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011 Zila Report – Jhalokati" (PDF). bbs.gov.bd. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
11. "Census of India, 1941 Volume VI Bengal Province" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
12. "Shekorer taane Nachiketa ghure gelen Nachiketa". amaderbarisal.com. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2019.